Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities COVID-19 Updates

Minnesota Department of Health sent this bulletin at 09/29/2023 09:32 AM CDT
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Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities COVID-19 Updates

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Minnesota Department of Health

September 29, 2023

The Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities COVID-19 Update is being sent to the following three MDH mailing lists to reduce duplication:

  • Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities COVID-19 Updates
  • MN Immigrant and Refugee Health Announcements
  • The Center for Health Equity

Today's COVID-19 updates include:

Status of COVID-19 in Minnesota

Status of COVID-19 in Minnesota:

Updated September 28, 2023

  • Total positive including reinfections: 1,818,305
  • Total deaths: 15,000
  • Total cases requiring hospitalization: 87,370
  • Total cases hospitalized in ICU: 14,641

Numbers are cumulative since Jan. 20, 2020.

Information on COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths are updated weekly on Situation Update for COVID-19 with data as of 4 a.m. on the Tuesday prior. The page also includes a map of counties with confirmed cases, data by race/ethnicity, and more.

This total reflects only the results from laboratory testing. There are more cases in Minnesota, and the virus is circulating in communities. It is important for everyone to take steps to protect themselves and others through vaccination, testing, staying home when sick, and more.

Information about monitoring COVID-19 in wastewater can be found on the University of Minnesota's Wastewater SARS-CoV2 Surveillance Study website. 

COVID-19 Vaccination Data - As of September 28, 2023 (Updated monthly)

  • People up to date with vaccine doses: 11,314

    • This number now reflects people who have received the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine.”

New & Updated Materials

Federal Updates: 

COVID-19 Vaccine Updates

On September 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the approval and authorization of updated vaccine formula to target the COVID-19 variants that are circulating nationally. These new vaccines are available for those who are 6 months of age or older.

  • People 5 years of age and older regardless of previous vaccination are eligible to receive a single dose of an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months since the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
  • People 6 months through 4 years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to receive one or two doses of an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (timing and number of doses to administer depends on the previous COVID-19 vaccine received).
  • Unvaccinated people 6 months through 4 years of age are eligible to receive three doses of the updated authorized Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine or two doses of the updated authorized Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Learn more at CDC: Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines.

Free At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits

Beginning Monday, September 25, 2023, every U.S. household can again place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home. 

Before you throw out “Expired” Tests: Check to see if your COVID-19 tests' expiration dates have been extended.

To learn more go to https://www.covid.gov/tests

Upcoming Testing & Vaccination Events

COVID-19 Community Testing

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) works in partnership with communities to provide safe and free on-site COVID-19 testing in areas with outbreaks, increasing cases, or other barriers to access existing test sites.

Testing Events:

 

African Immigrants Community Services (AICS)

  • Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • 1433 East Franklin Avenue, Unit 13B, Minneapolis
  • Saliva tests available 
  • Pre-registration steps:
    • Go to shieldt3portal.pointnclick.com 
    • Click “Sign Up for Account”
    • Input Agency Code: MDHCT
    • Input all information, check “I Agree” to give consent, then click “Submit."
    • Input registration code that was sent via text and email.
  • For assistance or question, please call 612-443-8806 or 612-443-8941

Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization

  • Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 
  • 3333 West Division Street, Suite 122A, St. Cloud 
  • Saliva tests available 
  • Appointments and walk-in appointments available 
  • For more information, call 320-281-3232

Phyllis Wheatley Community Center (PWCC)

  • Mondays: 2 - 5 p.m. 
  • Tuesdays & Thursdays: 3 - 7 p.m. 
  • 1301 North 10th Avenue, Minneapolis
  • Saliva and rapid tests available
  • Pre-registration steps:
    • Go to shieldt3portal.pointnclick.com 
    • Click “Sign Up for Account”
    • Input Agency Code: MDHCT
    • Input all information, check “I Agree” to give consent, then click “Submit."
    • Input registration code that was sent via text and email.
    • Proceed to check-in area once you arrive at PWCC 

Somali Community Resettlement Services 

  • Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 
  • Gale Mansion Event Center
  • 2115 Stevens Ave, Minneapolis
  • PCR and rapid tests available 

COVID-19 Community Vaccines

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) works in partnership with communities to provide safe and free on-site COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccines continue to be very good at preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Make sure you and your family are up to date on any COVID-19 vaccine doses you are recommended to get to have the best protection against COVID-19. 

  • How to get a vaccine
    • Check for vaccine appointments using Vaccines.gov (you can search for appointments by vaccine type: Pfizer vaccine, Moderna vaccine, Novavax vaccine) 
    • Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.
    • To locate a community vaccination event near you, call the MDH COVID-19 public hotline at 1-833-431-2053 Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, Thursday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Vaccination Events:

 

Korean Service Center

  • COVID-19 Vaccination Event
    • Monday, October 2, 2023
    • 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
    • Updated monovalent COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot available 
    • Free COVID-19 home test kits available 
    • Korean Service Center
    • 630 Cedar Ave S, #B1, Minneapolis, MN
    • Korean Service Center Vaccination Event 10.02.png

Reminders

Discrimination helpline

Discrimination Helpline

Report Discrimination and Bias

COVID-19 does not discriminate based on race, where you come from, your immigration status, or anything else. 

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident of discrimination or bias call Minnesota's Discrimination Helpline at 1-833-454-0148 or submit an online form on the Report Discrimination page. The helpline is staffed by investigators from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. Translation/interpretation services are available.

If you are the victim of a crime, including a hate crime, or fear for your safety, call 911 immediately.

MDH COVID-19 Public Hotline:

For questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, call 1-833-431-2053
Mon., Wed., & Fri.: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tues. & Thurs.: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

To connect directly to a representative in American Sign Language, visit the Contact Us: COVID-19 Questions webpage. 

Peer Support Connection MN Warmline (PSC):

Contact the PSC Warmline, available from 5 p.m. - 9 a.m., at 1-844-739-6369.

Visit the Peer Support Connection MN Warmline page for more information.

MDH Contact Information:

For questions regarding the information in this bulletin or the Cultural, Faith and Disabilities Communities (CFD) branch, please email health.equity@state.mn.us.

If you've been forwarded this email and would like to receive these updates directly, sign up here: Subscribe to Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities COVID-19 Updates.