Following the visit, the governor spoke with reporters. He noted that nearly 55% of Minnesota’s educators, school staff, and childcare providers have received the COVID-19 vaccine. More than one million Minnesotans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, including 61.7% of those who are 65-years-old or older.

Speaking about the state’s effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, the governor said, “With a little bit more work here together, we’re going to get this thing whipped. We can begin to think about what that beautiful summer looks like and especially for these kids. We know there is special occasions coming up. We really want to focus on those things. There’s proms. There’s graduations. There are folks thinking about weddings and times together. All of those things are there for us now.”

Senate Debates Security Funding Bill

This evening, the Minnesota Senate passed Senate File 1354, authored by Senator Bill Weber (R-Luverne). This legislation establishes the Law Enforcement Operations Account. Under this bill, $20 million is transferred from the general fund to the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety for reimbursement and management costs for public safety events.

This legislation specifies that costs eligible for reimbursement include overtime costs, logistical needs, incidental supplies, backfill personnel costs, damaged equipment, emergency management, response planning, threat mitigation costs, and indemnification costs.

A public safety event is defined to mean an unplanned or extraordinary event or series of events that exhausts local resources, endangers life or property where local resources are inadequate to handle the situation, requires mutual aid, and results in a state or local emergency being declared, or where the State Patrol makes a specific request to a local governmental unit for assistance at the state Capitol or other state-owned facility.

Legislative leaders and the governor have been working to find common ground on security funding for the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police Department officer charged in the case relating to the death of George Floyd, which began today. Legislators have been negotiating the amount and oversight of resources as well as police accountability measures.

Minnesota Department of Health Briefing

This afternoon, officials from the Minnesota Department of Health conducted a media briefing with reporters to update the public on the spread of COVID-19 in the state and discuss COVID-19 vaccination.

Commissioner Jan Malcolm, Department of Health

• Commissioner Malcolm reported 973 new COVID-19 cases from Saturday, 896 new cases from Sunday, and 473 new cases for today. The state’s total number of COVID-19 cases now stands at 490,483.
• The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Minnesota was just over a year ago on March 6, 2020.
• Another 11 deaths due to COVID-19 were reported on Saturday, five reported for Sunday, and six reported today. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state now stands at 6,556.
• Currently, 223 patients are hospitalized due to COVID-19 with 46 of those in the ICU.
• Over 1.65 million total vaccine doses have been administered to Minnesotans (both first and second doses). Over 592,000 Minnesotans have had a complete series of vaccination.

Director Kris Ehresmann, Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control Division

• Director Ehresmann outlined the new CDC guidance for individuals who have been fully vaccinated.
• People who are fully vaccinated can:
• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or staying six feet apart.
• Visit with unvaccinated people from one other household indoors without wearing masks or staying six feet apart if everyone in that household is at low-risk for disease.
• Individuals who are fully vaccinated can refrain from quarantine and testing if they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 after contact with someone with COVID-19.
• Fully vaccinated means it has been two weeks since the individual has had the second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two weeks from receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
• Fully vaccinated people need to take precautions like social distancing and masking when in public, when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple other households, and when around unvaccinated people who are high risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19.
• The vast majority of people in Minnesota need to be vaccinated before COVID-19 precautions can be lifted.
• On Friday evening, the Minnesota Department of Health shared concerns about a rapidly growing outbreak of the B117 variant (U.K. variant) in Carver County.
• 27 cases are associated with the outbreak. Not all live in Carver County, but are linked to activities there.
• Since late January, at least 84 cases of been school-sponsored and club sports activities – including hockey, wrestling, basketball, alpine skiing, and other sports.
• The state is seeing increases in cases in Carver County in gyms and fitness centers. Many of the cases linked to sports-related cases.
• There has been a 62% increase from January 27 to February 24. Case rates in Carver County are now approaching rates seen in October 2020. A high proportion, 35%, are under age 20.
• Today, the Minnesota Department of Health announced a new temporary COVID-19 testing site at the Chanhassen Recreation Center. Appointments are encouraged, but are not required.

Amos A. Briggs | Government Relations
LOCKRIDGE GRINDAL NAUEN P.L.L.P.
100 Washington Avenue S | Suite 2200 | Minneapolis MN  55401