On The Mark: State and regional Covid-19 responses are above the curve

There are two complementary ways to avoid Covid-19 and reduce its incidence in our communities. Social distancing is one: the tiresome masking and regression to private spaces and the internet for everything from dining to schooling. Most of us have made sacrifices to follow the guidelines and learn alternative forms of working, learning and socializing.

The other involves taking dosages of the new vaccines that have been tested and evaluated. Together, they form an even stronger route to avoiding death, illness or permanent damage.

Across the nation, vaccine development and rollouts have been impressively rapid, even though most of us are still waiting. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York Times reporters published last Sunday the shares of state populations who have received at least one dose. Alaska topped the list at 15 percent, followed by West Virginia, New Mexico, Connecticut and North Dakota. Minnesota falls in the middle of the pack, with just a little over 10 percent.

My husband, Rod Walli, and I were surprised to receive emails encouraging us, as Minnesotans over the age of 65, to sign up for the Covid shot lottery. At that time - a couple of weeks ago - the site offered few locations in the region. We could choose between Mountain Iron and Duluth. We tried for Mountain Iron and did not get a slot. But suddenly, last week, the state emailed that we could sign up for the two shots, one in February and one in March, at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. We did so and managed to get back-to-back appointments for last Sunday morning.

It was quite an experience. The directions were very clear: where to park, what time to arrive, wear masks, bring health insurance information. It was remarkably orderly, though it was strange for us to be among many dozens of people, adequately spaced out, all of whom were over 65. The injections were delivered by health care workers, almost universally female nurses, seated at tables well-spaced around an enormous convention floor.

We did not have to wait long. The nurse asked us a series of questions about our vaccination experiences, our current health, allergies and so on. And then she brought out the small vial with a wicked looking needle, gently inserting it in our upper arms. All accomplished in 10 minutes. We were then ushered into another area and directed to sit for 15 minutes to ensure that we did not have any adverse responses to the vaccine. We were impressed.

I've been following our governor and his staff's policies regarding the vaccines and progress towards reducing Covid with interest. I give their team high marks for both policy and public education. Every week, the governor's team does an hour-long briefing (available on Minnesota Public Radio), describing the evolution of Covid cases across the state and explaining current policies to contain it.

The Minnesota Department of Health commissioner Jan Malcolm and her staff present the data and address developing problems and policies. Gov. Tim Walz often participates in these sessions. The final 10-15 minutes are devoted to call-ins by journalists, identified by name and news outlet, with questions addressed to the commissioner and staff. They are ably answered and quite informative.

There are ample Covid resources online, including Carlton County's Covid-19 Response Hub. You can find vaccine locations near you on the state's department of health website. You can find out how to sign up for Covid-19 vaccines on this site as well. You can also ask questions of and chat with a Covid-19 bot. The site explains the way that vaccines are shipped to Minnesota by the federal government and how they are disseminated across the state to 118 smaller hospitals and clinics.

Every week they post a Covid-19 weekly report that includes cases by age group, weekly incidence, test rates by country of residence, and cases by zip code of residence.

Ann Markusen is an economist and professor emerita at University of Minnesota. A Pine Knot board member, she lives north of Cromwell.