Minnesota Native News: COVID-19 Daily Update Minnesota Native News

October 22nd, the Minnesota Department of Health rolled out the pilot program for its COVID-19 Test at Home Saliva Program. Because it’s in the pilot phase, it is currently only available in two dozen counties and tribal nations.

There are now four COVID vaccines in the advanced stages of trials. It’s still too early to say when a vaccine will be available. But already the subject is generating a lot of questions.

For months now, public health officials have been repeating the same messages: wear masks, socially distance, sanitize hands and surfaces. But at an October 21st health briefing, Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm looked back to the Greatest Generation, which united to overcome economic depression and world war, to talk about a mindset to help us during COVID.

Eight months into the pandemic, Minnesota is navigating a new phase of COVID-19, reporting record high daily case totals. If cases continue to rise, Minnesota could experience what’s been happening elsewhere with hospitals running out of beds and out of staff to tend to COVID patients—on top of heart attack, cancer and accident patients.

The CDC had said that for individuals to get infected they need to be in contact for, on average, 15 minutes within six feet of someone who is positive for COVID. That’s because experts believe that people need to be exposed to a certain level of virus—a so-called “infectious dose” of virus—before they’re infected.

In late September, the state began opening saliva test clinics in Greater Minnesota and the metro. More clinics are being added over the next weeks. Still, some Minnesotans do not have access to a testing site. A new initiative, available in November, will try to fill the gap with mail-in test kits.