Minnesota Today

Minnesota has one of the highest rates of COVID-19 infections in the country right now. There are very, very few ICU beds available in the state. Hospitals are delaying surgeries — shoulder surgeries, knee surgeries and even some heart procedures — because of the number of COVID-19 patients taking up beds.

Health care workers are becoming more vocal about their plight. Last Friday, Dr. Brian Hartz took to Facebook to make an impassioned plea on their behalf.

Hartz is a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Respiratory Consultants and North Memorial Health in Robbinsdale. He told Minnesota Now host Cathy Wurzer more about what he and his colleagues are facing.

Theme music by Gary Meister.

Hospital beds around Minnesota are at capacity due to an onslaught of COVID-19 patients, and the trend is creating an unprecedented crunch in emergency rooms. Doctors say patients are waiting dangerously long times for beds and higher levels of care. This is an MPR News morning update for Friday, November 19, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer.

Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Minnesota COVID cases get even worse compared to the rest of the US, as the state is poised to open boosters to all adults as soon as tomorrow. Also, employment continues to improve, but other economic sings are less certain. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.

Every Minnesota adult will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots by the end of the week — even if the federal government hasn’t officially given the OK. State health officials made that decision based on what they're calling an “alarming surge” in COVID-19 cases.

Is that the right call? Will giving boosters to adults who are already vaccinated really help? Or would it be better to focus on the almost 40 percent of Minnesota adults who haven’t yet gotten a single shot?

Dr. Abinash Virk, an infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, answered questions about the booster shots from host Cathy Wurzer and Minnesota Now listeners.

Theme music by Gary Meister.

With many Minnesota hospitals now at or near full capacity, the U.S. Department of Defense is sending two emergency staffing teams to help care for patients with COVID-19 and other ailments The teams, which each have 22 medical personnel, will be sent to HCMC in Minneapolis and St. Cloud Hospital.

This is an MPR News morning update for Thursday, November 18, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer.

Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Walz says he's reluctant to invoke emergency powers and provoke Senate Republicans, even as federal defense department personnel are on their way to provide emergency relief for Minnesota hospitals. Also, about 44,000 elementary school aged kids have now been vaccinated. This is an evening update from MPR News, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota has the nation’s worst seven-day rate of new COVID-19 infections. The surge in cases is concerning to many families who are preparing for the long holiday weekend. So what can we expect in the coming weeks, and who is making that prediction?

On Minnesota Now, host Cathy Wurzer talked about it with Curtis Storlie, a health science researcher at Mayo Clinic. He has been one of the statisticians working on Mayo’s COVID task force and helped set an algorithm to gauge the rate of spread. Theme music by Gary Meister.

With case counts at or near their highest levels since December, Minnesota intends to move ahead this week to offer vaccine booster shots to any eligible Minnesotan who wants one, the state’s health commissioner said Tuesday. This is an MPR News morning update for Wednesday, November 17, 2021. Hosted by Cathy Wurzer.

Our theme music is by Gary Meister.

Body cameras are a hot-button police reform issue, but many Minnesota state law enforcement officers have not been mandated to wear them — until now. As MPR News reporter Brian Bakst told host Cathy Wurzer, starting in a few weeks, more than a thousand state law enforcement officers will begin suiting up with body cameras.

Music by Gary Meister.

Minnesota may pre-temp federal COVID booster standards amid a major surge. Also, hundreds of state law enforcement officers are about to don body cameras for the first time. This is an evening update from MPR news, hosted by Tim Nelson. Music by Gary Meister.