Decline continues in county Covid-19 case rates

Rates of Covid-19 in Carlton County continue their steady decline, with six cities around the county showing a zero increase in cases from March 11-18, including Carlton, Cromwell, Esko, Holyoke, Kettle River and Sawyer. Cloquet saw an increase of 10 over that weeklong period, to a cumulative total of 1,404, while Barnum increased by three, to 222, Wrenshall by one to 39 cumulative cases and Moose Lake by one to 417 total cases since last spring.

There have been no new deaths in the past week, although the total number of cases increased from 3,037 to 3,086, an increase of 49.

Schools also got good news. The case rate per 10,000 people dropped to 7.03 from 9.29 a week ago and 10.41 the week before that. According to the original guidelines from the state, when numbers are below 10 per 10,000, schools can be open for in-person learning. Most public schools in the county have returned to in-person learning four days a week.

The most recent statistic for percent of positive Covid tests in the county was 1.1 percent, for the week of Feb. 28 to March 3.

Vaccination numbers are rising steadily at the same time. As of March 24, 12,907 people in Carlton County had received at least one dose and 8,113 had completed their vaccine series.

According to the state guidelines, more people are eligible for vaccines statewide, but it appears that Carlton County is vaccinating even more people.

Vaccinations

Anyone who has not yet received a vaccination who wants one is encouraged to get on at least one waiting list.

Community Memorial Hospital has a vaccination registration form on its website at cloquethospital.com/covid-vaccine /#regInterest, or residents may call 218-879-1271. The form allows people to register their interest, but not to schedule an appointment. The hospital will notify people who have registered when they can schedule a visit. The second dose will be scheduled to take place after the proper number of days have passed from the initial dose. In some cases, people are getting calls the same day to schedule appointments.

• Patients and non-patients can now schedule Covid vaccine appointments through MyChart online at EssentiaHealth.org or call 833-494-0836. Both methods require that you meet your state’s vaccination-eligibility criteria. Also, appointments are dependent on vaccine supply at each location.

• The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center is a permanent large-scale, community vaccination site for the Minnesota Department of Health. To get an appointment, people age 65 and older must have registered for the state’s Covid-19 community vaccination program. Vault Health will contact those who are selected via a random lottery and is also providing the ongoing community saliva testing at the DECC.

• Some local pharmacies are also offering vaccination appointments, including Walmart and Thrifty White pharmacies.

Minnesotans age 65 and older can use the online vaccine locator map atmn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/locations/index.jsp to find locations near them and contact those health care providers with questions.