Minnesota Native News: COVID-19 Daily Update22 Loka 2020

Minnesota Health Officials Hope Mail-In Saliva Tests Help Reach Areas Without Testing Site Access

Daily Update Script For Day October Xrd:

(Music 5-8 seconds)

INTRO (pre-recorded)

Marie: From Minnesota Native News… this is a COVID-19 Daily Update.

MARIE: I’m Marie Rock.

Minnesota Health Officials Hope Mail-In Saliva Tests Help Reach Areas Without Testing Site Access

MARIE:

Minnesota’s strategy for curbing and, hopefully, heading off runaway COVID community spread is to provide access for Minnesotans who need testing. Dan Huff, the Department of Health’s Assistant Commissioner, said, since early September, testing statewide has increased 65 percent.

Huff: Adding testing capacity allows us to test more of our priority populations. And that includes people who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID, doing more community testing in underserved populations, responding to outbreaks, and preventing growth in cases through this more targeted testing.

Marie:

However, this comes as case numbers are on an upswing. So 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. Here’s Assistant Commissioner Huff:

Huff: The COVID-19 Testing at Home Program will allow Minnesotans to register online and to receive their at-home testing kit via UPS.

Insurance will cover the cost. Underinsured Minnesotans or those without insurance can receive their test at no cost.

For MN Native News…. I’m Marie Rock.

For more information go online to M-N Native news DOT O-R-G

OUTRO/FUNDER: (pre-recorded)

Marie: This MN Native News COVID-19 Daily Update is supported by the MN Dept. of Health.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(184)

Gov. Walz Marks Milestone Of 2.5 Million Minnesotans Fully Vaccinated

Boozhoo, aaniin, I’m Cole Premo, here’s your Daily Update. With the end of May in sight, over 2.5 million Minnesotans are fully vaccinated from COVID-19. It’s one of many positive signs being observed...

27 Touko 20211min

Health Officials Say It's Vital for Eligible Children to Get COVID Vaccine

Minnesota’s mask mandate has been lifted. The CDC says it’s safe for fully-vaccinated people to go maskless indoors and outdoors.But the COVID-19 virus is still thriving and spreading. That’s why heal...

26 Touko 20211min

Traveling This Summer? Here Are Some Helpful Guidelines To Keep You Safe

With many expected to travel over the summer, the Minnesota Department of Health has guidelines for making a safe summer plan during the pandemic. MDH says the COVID-19 virus is still circulating in ...

25 Touko 20211min

State Partnering With Private Health Plans To Improve Vaccine Equity

The state of Minnesota is partnering with private health plans in an effort to give more Minnesotans the opportunity to get vaccinated. According to state officials, the departments of health and hum...

24 Touko 20211min

Minnesota Tribal Communities Set Pace Getting Vaccines to Vulnerable Communities

Over 60 percent of Minnesotans 16 and older have been vaccinated for COVID-16.Minnesota ranks in the top ten by state for percentage of COVID vaccines administered.Governor Tim Walz has credited Triba...

21 Touko 20211min

State Officials Announce Summer Learning Funding To Help Students Recover From Pandemic Setbacks

Script: Boozhoo, aaniin, I’m Cole Premo, here’s your Daily Update. In an effort to help Minnesota’s students recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Tim Walz says he will be leveraging federal funds...

20 Touko 20211min

CDC Says “Vaccine Effectiveness” Allowed it to Change Masking Guidelines

The COVID pandemic is by no means over. Yet the CDC is saying that it’s okay for fully vaccinated people to go without masks and social distancing indoors and outdoors—in most circumstances.Minnesota ...

19 Touko 20211min

Even Though Statewide Mask Mandate Is Lifted, Health Leaders Have Mixed Feelings

Minnesota’s mask mandate has been lifted, but that doesn’t mean that some top health leaders aren’t worried about the potential impact the decision could have on the vaccination push, as well as more ...

18 Touko 20211min