MN health officials urge vaccines, caution this holiday season – Twin Cities

Here’s another thing to add to the already long list of things to do during the holidays – get up-to-date COVID-19 and flu shots.

Minnesota health officials are urging residents to do all they can to protect themselves and others this holiday season from the “triple whammy” of the respiratory virus currently circulating: COVID-19, the flu and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus.

Vaccines are essential to control the spread of COVID-19 and influenza, while a vaccine to protect against RSV is still under development. Health officials are also reminding residents to stay home when sick, wash their hands and wear a mask in crowds or around high-risk people.

The hope is that Minnesota can enter the new year without further stressing already overstretched and understaffed hospitals. Vaccines are not infallible protection against infection, but they do help people avoid serious illness that requires hospitalization.

“Much of what happens in the next few months is up to us,” Jan Malcolm, the state’s health commissioner, said at a press conference on Tuesday. “Our choices have power and impact the wider community.”

One choice residents haven’t made as much as health officials would like is to get updated COVID-19 and flu shots. Only 20% of the state’s population is up to date on their coronavirus vaccines and the flu vaccination rate is about 10% lower than in previous years, health officials said.

The latest bivalent COVID-19 booster protects against the highly contagious omicron strain as well as previous strains of the coronavirus. Anyone six months or older is eligible for the vaccine.

Malcolm acknowledges that the past three years have been difficult when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic and public health precautions. But she urged residents not to let their guard down.

“The fatigue is understandable, but it’s also dangerous,” she said.

Minnesota appears to have dodged an expected fall surge, but COVID-19 levels have been rising for several weeks. The state has also seen a plateau in coronavirus hospitalizations with around 600 patients hospitalized last week.

COVID-19 has hospitalized more than 77,000 people during the three-year pandemic and 13,773 Minnesotans have died.

RSV and influenza levels increased at the start of this season and have remained high.

The latest state flu report noted that 30% of flu tests come back positive and more than 1,850 people have been hospitalized so far this season. There are 782 schools and 26 long-term care facilities with reported outbreaks.

There are signs the infection rate could be dropping, but health officials noted that with multiple strains of flu circulating and people congregating over the holidays, it’s important to be cautious .