It's Wednesday, Aug. 18. Sunny, humid and hot again today with highs in the 80s and 90s. Here's what's happening around the state:
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- From left, Bert Anderson, 12-year-old Brennan Anderson and Ben Anderson outside of their Rogers, Minn., home on Wednesday. The Anderson family has almost all been vaccinated, with the exception of Brennan. | Evan Frost, MPR News
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Between back to school and the spread of the delta variant in Minnesota, the state is making a big push to get more teenagers vaccinated. Bert and Ben Anderson of Rogers are both vaccinated, but their 12-year-old son Brennan isn't — yet. Ben would like to know more about any long-term effects of the vaccine in younger populations. It can be a complicated topic for families.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse of the Mayo Clinic says getting anyone 12 years and older vaccinated "should be number one on everyone's back to school checklist this year," and vaccination rates are playing a role in how school districts are planning for the year.
Get the full story from Catharine Richert.
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Officials briefed reporters Tuesday on the state of the pandemic in Minnesota . Health commissioner Jan Malcolm says we're in a fourth wave, making what many suspected a little more official. Cases have been rising statewide in all age groups, but especially among unvaccinated people, including children who aren't yet eligible for shots. The state reported 3,054 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 Tuesday.
Looking toward the school year, the state is recommending that unvaccinated school-age kids and school staff should get tested for COVID-19 weekly. Unvaccinated kids in extracurricular activities should be tested even more often. And vaccinated students and school staff should get tested if they are experiencing symptoms or were exposed to someone who has COVID-19. Funding is coming for schools to have on-site testing.
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- Smoke rises above the Superior National Forest as the Greenwood Fire burns through towards Highway 2 on Monday in Duluth, Minn. | Alex Kormann, Star Tribune via AP
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Firefighting efforts continued on the ground and in the air Tuesday against the Greenwood Fire in northeastern Minnesota that had expanded to about 3.1 square miles. About 75 residencies were evacuated in the Superior National Forest.
About 65 firefighters are currently working to corral the fire. A dedicated incident management team from the eastern U.S. is scheduled to assume full command Wednesday morning. That will free up local firefighters to respond to any new fires that are sparked.
Officials say competition is fierce across the country for firefighting resources, including aircraft and ground crews. Fire management officer Nick Petrak said so far they’ve been able to secure the aerial resources they need to fight the blaze. But he says they’re hoping for more.
Read more from Dan Kraker.
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