Vaccination Rates Moving Closer to Goal for Long-Term Care Staff

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Jeff Bostic

LeadingAge Minnesota has pulled together recent data on vaccination rates, both for long-term care staff in Minnesota as well as the general population in Minnesota.

In the most recent Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) update on long-term care vaccination, staff rates for full vaccination were 61% in all reporting care centers and 55% in all reporting assisted living settings.

To reach the MDH goal of 70% staff vaccination rates, providers will need to continue encouraging vaccinations among staff. MDH is now limiting reporting for providers who are meeting the goal rates for residents and staff. As of the most recent report, 33% of providers are meeting the goal.

The MDH report also looks at regional differences in vaccination rates which show a lot of variation. The Twin Cities Metro area has the highest staff vaccination rates of any region, at 69% in care centers and 60% in assisted living. Meanwhile, the MDH central region, which includes St. Cloud and the Brainerd area, has the lowest rates at 48% in care centers and 40% in assisted living.

Resident vaccination rates remain excellent, at 87% fully vaccinated in care centers and 90% fully vaccinated in assisted living.

The general population vaccination rate in Minnesota is rising toward the 70% goal, with 63% of those 16 and older and 89% of those 65 and older having received at least one vaccine dose.

With care centers soon required to report vaccination data to the federal government, we are suggesting to MDH that they use that resource instead of requesting double reporting. We will notify members of any MDH announcement that care center data is no longer needed.