Minnesota COVID-19 News and Information

Resources for updates, home health visits, healthcare resources, food banks, and other state support services.

We may be isolated, but we don’t have to be alone. AARP Community Connections is a new website that offers steps to find help – or give it – during the coronavirus pandemic. At a time when people are self-isolating, the website connects you to support in your community. It also enables you to join or organize your own online mutual aid group to stay connected, share ideas and help your family, neighbors and those most affected by COVID-19.

Minnesota residents can schedule new COVID-19 vaccine appointments or walk into a nearby pharmacy to get a shot. Here’s how to find an updated vaccine near you.

AARP leaders nationwide will meet remotely with Senate, House offices, as COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes reach nearly 100,000

AARP is excited to announce that a compromise has been reached on hero pay for frontline workers, and the Governor signed it into law on May 3, 2022.

Join AARP Minnesota on Thursday, October 28 at 10 a.m. for an important conversation about the latest COVID-19 pandemic news. Special guest Lynn Bahta, Vaccine Safety Coordinator, R.N. MPH, CPH with the Minnesota Department of Health, will answer your questions about vaccine distribution and the latest news about booster shot information.

AARP Calls on Nursing Homes to Require Vaccination

AARP has been fighting in Washington DC, St. Paul, and state capitols across the country to make sure that older Americans are prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and have timely and accurate information about how and when to sign up to get vaccinated. And while we are encouraged by the milestones and progress of last week - including eclipsing the one million mark for vaccination, the continued downward trends in COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations, the work to vaccinate residents and staff in long term care, and the launch of the Minnesota Vaccine Connector - we know that our state’s vaccination rollout has left too many feeling frustrated and confused. A recent online questionnaire fielded between 2/12 and 2/15 by email to AARP members across Minnesota reflected just that. More than 1,700 AARP members completed the questionnaire.

AARP MN hosted this live Q&A event to hear the latest COVID-19 vaccine information with our guests, Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner, Jan Malcolm and Director of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Kris Ehresmann.

AARP Minnesota State Director, Will Phillips, participated in a press conference today with Governor Tim Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health to share the state's next steps in its vaccine distribution plan. AARP Minnesota has been calling on the state to prioritize older Minnesotans to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest release of AARP’s Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard depicts a worsening crisis from coast to coast, including Minnesota. In the four-week period ending December 20, 62.2% of nursing homes in Minnesota reported residents with confirmed cases of coronavirus, and 92.4% with at least one staff member diagnosed.

New AARP Public Policy Institute paper outlines recommendations for long-term care quality improvements 

When it comes to ensuring that our parents are receiving the care they need—and deserve—especially during the coronavirus pandemic, Karen Ouren has learned a thing or two about how to be an effective advocate.

Whether you’re working full-time, part-time or as a volunteer, already retired or just beginning to think about it, you’re likely spending a lot more time at home thanks to the coronavirus. While not having to get showered and dressed to impress may be a positive, spending time at your computer can be tough on your body, especially if you don’t have a dedicated workspace.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released new visitation guidance for long-term care facilities to address social isolation. Residents in Minnesota’s long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities, are highly vulnerable to COVID-19. The new guidelines are consistent with new federal guidance in nursing homes, which eases the restrictions on in-person visitations for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.