COVID-19 Cases Drop Again at St. Cloud Hospital [PODCAST]

CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week for an update on Covid-19 locally. He says he is pleased to say that they have dropped again with the amount of positive Covid-19 cases at St. Cloud Hospital and within CentraCare. The number as of Wednesday this week is 42 patients with 8 of those in the ICU/critical care unit. He says there have been waves of positive cases but the last 2 weeks they have seen a decrease in cases. He says the vaccine and warmer weather are contributing factors in the reduction of cases. Listen to our conversation below.

Dr. Morris says CentraCare has vaccines to eligible people when they want them. He still urges people use their my chart account online to schedule appointments or to call 320-200-3200. He says it is possible walk-ins will be accepted. Morris says they've had very few no-shows for appointments are aren't seeing many people who receive one dose of Pfizer or Moderna and then choose not to get the 2nd dose. Morris says they haven't had to throw out very many does of the vaccine. Dr. Morris says reaching herd immunity this summer is still likely and that number would be 70 to 90 percent. Morris expects a certain segment of the population to choose not to get the vaccine and that will lead to cases not completely going away. He says waves could continue among the unvaccinated. Morris also says staff at CentraCare is still busy but now they are just at a normal busy level and not at the levels they've been at during certain stretches in the past year.