Rochester risk dial drops to 'moderate'

Randy Petersen, Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.
·2 min read

May 30—Rochester's COVID-19 risk dial dropped to "moderate" Friday for the first time since March 5.

The dial had been set to "high" for 11 weeks after a one-week return to moderate in March. Prior to that, it sat at "high" or "severe" for several months.

The dial is adjusted based on a mix of local, state and nation trends, but Rochester Director of Emergency Management Ken Jones has said county activity plays a key role in determining the risk of spreading COVID-19 in the city.

The county's percent of confirmed positive tests dropped to 2.8 percent last week, down from 5 percent two weeks earlier.

The range puts the indicator in the "low" category, but other factors are sitting at the defined "moderate" level after dropping from "high" in recent weeks.

Olmsted County is reporting a seven-day average of 4.4 new daily cases, down from 15 in the week ending May 14. The moderate level is anything between one and five cases.

The single day with the highest number of cases in the past week was Friday, which had eight confirmed cases reported.

Friday's county report also said there were 38 residents with active confirmed COVID cases, down from 87 a week earlier.

The county is also reporting a slight drop in hospitalizations related to the virus, with a recent daily average of 4.4 hospitalizations, down from 5.9 during the week ending May 14.

The hospital impact isn't officially considered low until no cases are requiring beds, but Jones has said local capacity means low numbers don't place the same stress on the system that they would in other communities.

The decrease in risk factors comes as the number of vaccinated residents continues to increase.

As of Thursday, 75.9 percent of eligible Olmsted County residents received at least one dose of vaccine, with 68.8 percent receiving all required doses.

The numbers include 3,668 residents between 12 and 15 years old, who have recently been approved to receive vaccinations.

Statewide, 61.9 percent of eligible residents have received at least one dose of vaccination, with 54.8 percent having completed required doses.