Covid-19 Vaccine

Over 50 percent of the positive test results last week involved the more transmissible variant.

CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris from CentraCare joined me on WJON today. He says CentreCare is receiving 3,000 to 4,000 vaccines from the state each week and anticipates that number a week through the end of the month with an increase expected starting in April.

St. Cloud V.A. Director of Pharmacy J.D. Anderson and St. Cloud V.A. Public Affairs Officer Barry Venable joined me on WJON today for our Voices for Veteran segment. Anderson says the St. Cloud V.A. has vaccinated more than 9,000 people with the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine and that number includes health care workers and nearly 7,000 veterans.

CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week. He says CentraCare is working with the state and Stearns County Public Health in planning for many vaccination locations for the Covid-19 vaccine when their supplies increase.

The St. Cloud-based health system says the number of people interested in being vaccinated is “encouraging,” but they can only administer shots to certain groups right now due to a limited supply of vaccine.

The State of Minnesota Tuesday launched a website allowing Minnesotans ages 65 and older to sign up for COVID-19 vaccine shots at one of nine pilot clinics.

Starting Friday CentraCare will begin phasing in offering the COVID-19 vaccine to members of the community 65 and older.

St. Cloud State University President Dr. Robbyn Wacker joined me on WJON today. Wacker said SCSU has freezers normally used in their labs that have the capability of cooling to temperatures low enough to store the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine needs to remain 70 degrees below zero.

Walz said the COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan is still under construction.

This week on WJON's Health Matters program I talked with Dr. David Smith from Sartell Pediatrics. Our topic discussion this week was vaccines. He says the whole world is working on finding and testing a vaccine for Covid-19. Dr. Smith says because trials are happening now if everything goes as well as possible a vaccine could be available for some people in the United States by November.