On Monday morning, Minnesota reported McLeod County had seen 4,308 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. That's up 10 from one week prior, when Berit Spors, McLeod County Health and Human Services director, reported 4,298 cases to the McLeod County Board.
Two weeks before that, the county had recorded 4,281 cases.
"That is a definite decrease in our amount of (new) cases," Spors said.
The county continues to hold vaccine clinics at the McLeod County Government Center, but the public health effort is slowing.
“We have started to reduce those in number and also in size and are working on our demobilization efforts just because the need is not as strong for vaccinations at this time," Spors said.
As of last week, the county had held 47 clinics and administered 5,025 first doses, and 3,752 second doses.
Data measuring the percent of McLeod County's population with at least one dose of vaccination showed Monday morning:
- Total population: 47% (46% two weeks prior)
- Age 12-plus: 56% (54% two weeks prior)
- Age 16-plus: 58% (57% two weeks prior)
- Age 65-plus: 87% (87% two weeks prior)
“Obviously the first dose number is higher than the second dose. People have for whatever reason decided not to come and get the second dose," McLeod County Board Member Joe Nagel said. "As we start to demobilize our vaccination clinics, do you see any problems with that if somebody changes their mind all of a sudden? They’re still going to be able to schedule through you? Or you’ll be able to help them find a pharmacy or someone to help them out?”
“When we order our doses, we automatically get the second doses. We will always have enough for second doses," Spors said. "We are sending reminders. Most of our clinics now are for second doses. If people can’t get a second dose with us or forget or just for some reason aren’t able to, they could go to another provider.”
