Month: October 2021

Today, Governor Tim Walz announced Minnesota’s plan to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committee voted to recommend the use of the Pfizer vaccine in children 5-11 years old.

The state of Minnesota has built a strong network of providers—including pharmacies, health care systems, clinics, local public health and tribal health agencies, and school clinics, and state-run community clinics—that can begin vaccinating eligible children once final eligibility recommendations are issued by the federal government next week.

“Every 5-11-year-old in Minnesota deserves the protection the COVID-19 vaccine has to offer,” said Governor Walz. “The state is prepared for this critical moment in the battle against COVID-19. Our goal is to ensure that the vaccine is widely, equitably, and efficiently available to all children ages 5-11. We’ll be ready to do our part when the federal government gives us the green light, and I encourage parents to get their children vaccinated when the shots are ready.”

“As the mom of a young child, I am beyond grateful my daughter will be able to get a vaccine soon,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “The time to prepare for the vaccine is now – there are many ways families will be able to get their child a shot, and parents can choose which option is most convenient for them. Relief is coming.”

In response to community feedback and to meet families where they are, the Walz-Flanagan Administration has mobilized a diverse network of more than 1,100 providers to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5-11.

• More than 530 pediatric and family medicine clinics, primary care providers, federally qualified health centers, local public health agencies, tribal health agencies, and Indian Health Service locations have said they are prepared to vaccinate Minnesota children.
• Additionally, over 600 pharmacies are actively planning to provide COVID-19 vaccine to children under the age of 12 in some or all their locations, based on their supply from the federal government.
• To ensure equitable distribution of the vaccine, expand access to more children, and meet Minnesota families where they are, the Administration will partner with school districts and charter schools to host vaccination clinics in school buildings for children and families.
  • In a recent survey of Minnesota school districts and charter schools, 80% of respondents have indicated interest in hosting vaccination clinics.
  • The Administration is partnering with districts and schools to host at least 20 school-based vaccination clinics in high-need areas around Minnesota over the next four weeks.
• Minnesota’s successful Community Vaccination Program location at the Mall of America has tripled its capacity to provide up to 1,500 shots per day to 5-11-year-olds shortly after the vaccine is authorized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
• MDH’s Covid-19 Community Coordinators – trusted community partners – will host clinics offering not only vaccines to 5-11-year-olds but shots for the whole family.
• After reviewing the clinical trial data that demonstrated safety and high protection, the advisory committee recommended that FDA authorize the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11-years-old.

The state is waiting on FDA’s official authorization of the Pfizer vaccine for use in this age group, as well as recommendations from CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), to provide the authorization doctors and other health care providers need before they start vaccinating. ACIP is expected to meet on this matter November 2-3.

“These vaccines have been shown to be safe and highly effective, and they are our best tools for protecting Minnesotans from COVID-19,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “The evidence shows COVID-19 can be severe and have long-lasting health impacts – sometimes even among young and healthy people. Getting your children vaccinated helps them stay safe during school, sports and other social activities. Plan ahead, talk to your family physician, and once your child is eligible, find a vaccine opportunity near you to get your child protected.”

Children are not immune from the severe effects of COVID-19, and common underlying conditions like asthma and obesity can put kids at an even greater risk of severe illness. Since July 1, there have been more than 45,200 pediatric cases and more than 300 child hospitalizations related to COVID-19 in Minnesota. Serious cases can even occur in healthy children. Roughly 25% of COVID-19 pediatric deaths nationally have occurred in healthy children.

COVID-19 can also have long-term consequences. Thousands of children have been diagnosed with COVID-19-linked multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or MIS-C, in the U.S., with almost 100 cases in Minnesota. Some of these children need ICU-level care.

“Vaccines are the best tool we have to keep our students in their classrooms while protecting the health and safety of students, staff and families,” said Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Dr. Heather Mueller. “After extensive studies and research by health experts, I am thankful that a safe and effective vaccine will soon be available to children ages 5 and older. Our school and health care communities stand ready to provide families options to ensure all Minnesota kids can get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, Minnesotans are encouraged to visit the Minnesota Department of Heath website and the CDC website.

How families can find a shot for their child once they are eligible:

Minnesota providers cannot begin vaccinating children until the CDC issues final recommendations, which could come later next week.

Once CDC has approved the vaccine for 5-11 and your child is eligible, Minnesota families can:

• Check with their pediatrician or family medicine clinic about appointments;
• Visit mn.gov/vaccine to use the Vaccine Locator Map to locate and contact providers near them;
• Utilize the CDC’s Vaccine Finder at vaccines.gov to find pharmacies offering pediatric vaccinations; or
• Look to your local school district for more information about vaccination opportunities in your child’s school.

How currently eligible Minnesotans can get their free shot:

• Use the state’s Vaccine Locator Map to find a vaccine provider near you.
  • Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline
    • 1-833-431-2053
    • Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Check for vaccine appointments using the Vaccine Finder. You can search for appointments by vaccine type (e.g., Pfizer).
• Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.

How Minnesotans can get a COVID-19 test:

• Walk-in or schedule an appointment for a free rapid or saliva test at one of the state’s no-cost community testing sites across Minnesota.
• Order a free saliva test through the state’s no-cost at-home COVID-19 testing program.
• Find a testing option, including through local providers, pharmacies and clinics, near you through the state’s Find Testing Locations map.

The post GOVERNOR WALZ ANNOUNCES MINNESOTA’S PLAN TO VACCINATE 5-11-YEAR-OLDS FOLLOWING FDA ADVISORY appeared first on KROX.

Halloween is this upcoming Sunday, which means kids will be out and about trick or treating that night. Safe Kids of Grand Forks wants to remind parents and children to trick or treat safely this Halloween.

According to Safe Kids, children are twice as likely to be injured in a pedestrian accident on Halloween than any other day of the year. Carma Hanson is the Coordinator for Safe Kids in Grand Forks, and she provided a few things to keep in mind while trick or treating. “We always say be safe and be seen on Halloween,” said Hanson. “What we’re looking for people to do is make sure that their child has a lot of visibility and that their child isn’t in an all-dark costume. Maybe even reflective tape or something to hang off the back of their costume to make them more visible.”

Hanson also said trick-or-treaters should find neighborhoods with good lighting. “The other thing would be to make sure you find good lighting,” said Hanson. “A street corner with lighting will be a safer place for children to cross, and cars are going to be more likely to look for someone crossing the street at those places. Kids can’t assume they can be seen and should make sure that they are looking in both directions and make eye contact with the driver before crossing the street.”

According to Hanson, safety items that can help keep trick or treaters safe this Halloween will be given out by Safe Kids of Grand Forks to anyone interested. “We do have reflective zipper pulls that trick or treaters could put on their coats or bags, and we also have some trick or treat bags that are much more visible than the traditional ones,” said Hanson. “You can contact our office at 701-780-1489 or email us at Safekids@altru.org, and we’d be happy to provide those items free of charge for anyone interested.”

Other safety reminders and ideas include potentially going to an event rather than trick or treating up and down streets, staying in smaller areas while trick or treating, and using face paint rather than masks to help with kids’ visibility and eyesight. If parents are driving from house to house, they are encouraged to make sure their children remain buckled up while the car is moving and exit the vehicle on the grass or curbside and not in the middle of the street.

Hanson said if you choose to trick or treat this Halloween, make sure you don’t stay out too late and that parents have guidelines to keep their children safe. “I think you want to have some guidelines for kids. They may know how they’re supposed to cross the street, but sometimes their minds can’t calculate if there is enough time to do it when there is oncoming traffic,” said Hanson. “Kids are excited and eager on Halloween to get to the next house as quickly as possible. So having parents with children if possible and having guidelines in place for the older children who are on their own will help keep them safe.”

Hanson also wants to remind drivers that as temperatures begin to drop, road conditions may not be as safe, and to be mindful that regardless of who has the right of way, when a car and child meet, the car is going to win every time. More information and events during Halloween can be found on the Safe Kids of Grand Forks website at safekidsgf.com/.

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The Minnesota and North Dakota Agri-Women’s 38th Harvest of Knowledge Conference will be held this Friday, October 29 at the Ramada Inn in Grand Forks.

The Harvest of Knowledge Conference chair, Donna Ulseth, talked a little more about the event and what people can expect. “The main objective is to educate about agriculture,” said Ulseth. “We have a wide variety of topics this year from marketing to being a caregiver and talking with your legislation and speaking up to them about our industry.”

There will be a few speakers at the event, and the keynote speaker will be Amanda Radke. Radke is a fifth-generation rancher from Mitchell, S.D., who has dedicated her career to serving as a voice for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. Ulseth talked a little bit more about what Radke is best known for. “She is well known for speaking out against some topics that Ellen DeGeneres has had,” said Ulseth. “She advocates for animal agriculture while becoming known as the champion for agriculture in the farming and ranching community.”

Emmery Mehlhoff, Molly Soeby, and Theresa Helgeson will also be speaking during the event. Mehlhoff will be presenting “Getting to Know your Representatives.” The importance of contacting them and their offices and the protocols of doing so.

Soeby, a Community Wellness Agent for the Grand Forks Extension, will explain the tools of the program. And Helgeson, from the University of Minnesota Crookston Campus, will end the conference by showing how to make a holiday arrangement.

While there will be a lot of great information shared, Ulseth says the event is also an excellent opportunity for people in the industry to network. “Networking is vital because, in Agriculture, we come from different areas,” said Ulseth. “Around here, even we come from animal agriculture, sugar beets, wheat, soybeans, and everything is different. It’s just a great way to network and see how other people are doing things.”

Even though it is a Women’s conference, Ulseth said Men are also more than welcome to attend if there is a speaker they want to listen to.

There is still time to register and learn more about hotel information. Registration is $50 per person, and the price includes all break refreshments, lunch, and printed materials from speakers. There will also be prizes given out throughout the event, and you must be present to win. The event will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the final comments and door prizes will be handed out at 3:00 p.m. For more information and to register, you can contact Donna Ulseth at 218-280-1335 or email mnagriwomen@gmail.com. You can also register at the door the day of the event.

 

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Earlier this afternoon Polk County Public Health sent out information regarding who should/who is eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine boosters. The information can be found down below –

 

Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended a single dose booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines in certain populations.

Who should get a booster shot?

The CDC recommends booster shots for:

Individuals who received a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and are in the following groups, are eligible for a booster shot 6 months or more after completing their initial series:

• 65 years of age and older
• 18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19
• 18 through 64 years of age with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to
• COVID-19

Individuals who are 18 and older who received an initial dose of Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine, are eligible for a booster shot two or more months after receiving their initial dose.

It is important to note, the CDC’s recommendations now allow for mix and match dosing for booster shots. Eligible individuals may choose their COVID-19 booster, regardless of what vaccine they originally received.

Where can I get a COVID-19 booster shot?

If you are eligible and would like a Moderna booster shot contact your local pharmacy or register for an upcoming vaccine clinic on the Polk County Public Health website. At this time, Altru Clinic in Crookston and Sanford Health in East Grand Forks will not be offering Moderna booster shots, but instead preparing for the anticipated Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval of COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11.

If you are eligible and would like a Pfizer booster shot contact your health care provider, local pharmacy or visit the Polk County Public Health website to register for an upcoming vaccine clinic.

Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and reduce the spread of the virus. While boosters increase protection for those who need it, people who are fully vaccinated continue to have good protection against severe illness and hospitalization.

Polk County Public Health is encouraging everyone age 12 and older to get vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines may be authorized for children ages 5-11 in the coming weeks. Plan ahead and talk to your child’s primary provider if you have questions about vaccinating your child.

For more information about booster eligibility, visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p1021-covid-booster.html?fbclid=IwAR3W7qWmMTxPPqX-MEzSLFqS-Cp4weMBXjE_y9zagiH3tIJAPsKpI5jIT1c.

If you have further questions, please contact the Polk County Public Health COVID-19 Line at 218.281.3385.

Learn more:

You can learn more by visiting the following websites.

The Polk County Coronavirus Response Hub https://coronavirus-response-pcg.hub.arcgis.com.

The Minnesota Department of Health https://www.health.state.mn.us

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov

Follow Polk County Public Health on social media for local updates.

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