CentraCare

Central Minnesota's largest health care system has announced they will be the latest to require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON today. He says St. Cloud Hospital now has 15 positive cases of COVID-19 with 5 of those in the ICU. Those numbers are up from the week before. He says the majority of cases in the hospital are unvaccinated people. Morris says it is rare for someone who is vaccinated to develop severe COVID-19 symptoms.

An annual central Minnesota fundraiser will return to an in-person format this winter.

CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON this week for an update on Covid-19 locally. He says he is pleased to say that they have dropped again with the amount of positive Covid-19 cases at St. Cloud Hospital and within CentraCare. The number as of Wednesday this week is 42 patients with 8 of those in the ICU/critical care unit.

CentraCare spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON today. He says positive Covid-19 hospitalizations are down from the 60+ range to 50+ this week at St. Cloud Hospital and within CentraCare. He says about 40% of those hospitalized are in their ICU/Critical care unit.

The magazine rated CentraCare – St. Cloud Hospital as number 45 in the nation and number two in Minnesota.

The new guidelines will allow each adult patient to have one healthy adult visitor. Minor patients will be allowed to have two adult visitors.

CentraCare Spokesman Dr. George Morris joined me on WJON today. He says positive Covid-19 patients at the St. Cloud Hospital and patients in their critical care unit are about the same as last week. He says the treatments they are using now has really helped Covid-19 hospitalized patients and says a lot of credit goes out to the doctors and nurses.

The St. Cloud Hospital has been named the third best hospital in the state of Minnesota.

CentraCare says patients who need to be hospitalized will still be admitted while test results are pending.

Health officials continue to work through the latest information regarding COVID-19.

CentraCare officials say they are working with the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prepare in case of a coronavirus outbreak.