| April 23, 2021 Today, cloudy and rainy. Highs will be in the 40s and 50s around the state. Chances of rain will continue over night. Saturday will be sunny with highs in the upper 40s and lower 50s. But don’t get your hopes up: Sunday will be grey and rainy again, with some parts of the state potentially seeing snow showers. Get the latest on Updraft. State health officials are warning of a troublesome rise in COVID-19 cases among kids. Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said Thursday that the number of COVID-19 cases in students this week exceeds the peak set in November during a COVID surge.
But around the state, more than 90 percent of Minnesota’s schools are still offering some form of in-person learning, and state officials say they have no plans at this point to change school policies, despite the rise in cases among youth.
Instead, to tamp down the spread, the health department is asking all student athletes from the elementary to high school levels to be tested weekly for COVID — and all students in general to be tested every two weeks.
Schools are currently required to offer on-site testing every two weeks for any staff member who wants it. Officials hope to expand those testing options to students.
In other COVID news, the Minnesota Department of Health reported 10 new deaths and more than 2100 new COVID-19 cases today.
Nevertheless, the seven day average for new cases continued a week long downward trend. While 54 percent of Minnesotans 16 and older have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccination rate is lagging behind its pace earlier this month, mostly due to a more limited supply.
A public memorial service for former Vice President Walter Mondale won’t be held until the fall. He is expected to be laid to rest soon in a private ceremony. Flags at state buildings will remain lowered until that happens under a proclamation from the governor. But public memorials won’t be held until September, in part because of the COVID-19 precautions around large gatherings.
The family statement says that plans are in the works for services in Minnesota and in Washington, D.C. Details will be released in the coming months. Subscribe to our Minnesota Today podcast to get the up-to-date Minnesota news twice daily. — Catharine Richert | MPR News | 