vaccines

As COVID-19 shifted our lives, it also changed how we see vaccinations. A local pediatrician shares her deep concerns about this trend.

Congressman Tom Emmer joined me on WJON today. He says the COVID-19 vaccines are "good" but the "sweeping and arbitrary mandates are unconstitutional". Emmer stopped short of predicting how the Supreme Court would rule in this case.

CentraCare administered more than 1,400 vaccines last Friday on Black Friday. CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week. He says they had approximately 900 vaccines administered at the South point site in St. Cloud with more than 1,400 within CentraCare.

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities are mandating vaccines for all employees and some students. Those required to get a vaccine or weekly test include Students living in college or university-owned residence facilities, students participating in intercollegiate athletics and students required to vaccinate by their clinical or internship sites.

With kids 12 and older eligible to get their COVID-19 vaccines, CentraCare is offering vaccinations at pediatric clinics rather than at mass vaccinations sites.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement today indicated that fully vaccinated Americans can return to life without wearing masks. This includes both indoors and outdoors and in crowds. Exceptions include buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters.

Called a "game changer" a new COVID-19 community vaccination site has opened in St. Cloud.

In Minnesota, those 65 years and older are eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine, but whether they are inoculated has a lot to do with they live.

I was joined on Health Matters this week by Dr. David Smith from Sartell Pediatrics. He described how the Covid-19 vaccine is similar or different from other vaccines. He says it isn't unusual for vaccines to require a freezer or refrigeration for storage to store a vaccine at -80 degrees isn't common.

Minnesota health officials say there are almost 70 confirmed cases of measles in the state so far this year, and a state lawmaker is hoping to make it harder for parents to opt out of vaccinating their children.