Minnesota Student Dies Of COVID-19, 2nd Since Start Of Pandemic
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Department of Health says that a school-aged child has died as a result of COVID-19, the second in the state since the pandemic started and the first during the current school year.
While the health department did not say where the student was enrolled, the latest figures released Thursday showed that a teenager in Hennepin County was among the newly reported COVID deaths.
The health department reports that two more school staffers were also among the recently announced death toll.
"Five school staff members and one student have died of COVID-19 this school year and it's only October. There is no excuse for any district leader to ignore the guidelines for masking, social distancing, quarantining and vaccinations set out by state and federal public health authorities," Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota, said. "We're asking parents to please reduce the risk of another tragic death of a student by vaccinating their teens. When the vaccine becomes available to younger children, vaccinate them, too."
Overall, there have been 13 school staff members who have died since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Education Minnesota reports that there have been 66 staffers and students admitted to the ICU since August 2020.