MDH COVID-19 briefing: Minnesotans share stories of COVID-19 impact; restrictions for youth and prep sports to be announced Wednesday

Tuesday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and others talked about the impact of COVID-19 on them and urged Minnesotans to be safe as holidays approach. Walz also foreshadowed additional restrictions that will be announced Wednesday.

Impact of COVID-19

Former state Rep. Nick Zerwas, a Republican who represented District 30A for 13 years, also joined the call and described his own battle with COVID-19. Zerwas said he thought he’d just caught a cold from something his son brought home from Kindergarten eight days ago.

Zerwas, who resigned last December, was born with a rare disease called tricuspid atresia. With his preexisting conditions in mind, his wife bought an oxygen monitor.

Speaking in a strained and raspy voice, Zerwas described his battle with the virus, noting that he suddenly had no energy, his oxygen levels dropped, he went into the emergency room and was in an intensive care unit for five days. Fortunately, the treatment he received helped his turnaround and led to him being discharged.

"I’ve been sick, I’ve been down this road before," Zerwas said, but added that COVID-19 was unlike what he’d ever experienced. He urged Minnesotans to take it seriously, adding, "at no point will this virus ask you who you voted for or what your politics are."

KSTP’s complete COVID-19 coverage

Another Minnesotan, Sarah Winston, the mother of a 17-year-old who contracted COVID-19, said her daughter caught the virus from a friend. Her daughter ended up in the ICU and had a fever of 104.5 degrees, along with heart and kidney failure and liver distress.

"Her body was literally shutting down," Winston said.

Winston’s daughter didn’t have any underlying conditions and now won’t be able to participate in dance due to the effects COVID-19 had on her. Winston urged Minnesotans to stay home if feeling ill, quarantine for the full 14 days if exposed to the virus, noting the incubation period means one negative test doesn’t necessarily mean someone doesn’t have COVID-19.

Wayzata High School senior back home after 10 days in hospital from COVID-19 complications

Dr. Jon Cole, an emergency doctor at Hennepin County Medical Center, said he and his family was set to go on a spring break trip in March right before the U.S. shut things down due to COVID-19. Therefore, they didn’t go on the trip and Cole said he’s thankful they didn’t because just five days later, he and his wife had symptoms of COVID-19.

Cole said he and his wife weren’t ever hospitalized but it was still a miserable two weeks. He added that he’s had an interesting perspective with his job and has seen people suffer a wide range of issues related to COVID-19. Still, he said he believes his decision to not go on that trip likely saved more people from the virus than he’s been able to in his job.

He urged Minnesotans to follow health precautions to slow the spread of the virus, comparing it to a forest fire and warning of a possible shortage of health care workers if the spread continues to spiral out of control.

Brother of Lt. Gov. Flanagan dies from COVID-19

Finally, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan highlighted the loss of her brother in March due to COVID-19 and talked about people who don’t think they’ll be affected by COVID-19. She noted that her brother had underlying conditions but many others who didn’t have underlying conditions have experienced the same thing. Flanagan added that anyone who doesn’t think COVID-19 will impact them and doesn’t take it seriously need to look at what’s happening across the state and country and understand that there’s no reason it can’t happen to them.

Flanagan also urged people to be kind and compassionate. She said she’s seen a lot of cruetlty aimed at people affected by COVID-19, and she’s experienced it herself. She added that it’s tough for her to forgo holiday gatherings with her family and knows it’s difficult for many others, too, but it’s important to make sure everyone can gather together next year and someone isn’t gone because of the virus.

‘I fear it might be too late’

The COVID-19 restrictions and health guidelines have been topics that some people have disregarded or bashed for being too harsh since the pandemic began. Zerwas noted that he was once in that camp but now is urging others to take them seriously and follow them.

"I get that the prolonged lockdowns have been tough," Zerwas said, adding that he was critical of them when the cases didn’t seem to match up to the level of concern and lockdowns. He added, "this is an entirely different ballgame" than months ago and everyone needs to take the proper steps to combat the spread of COVID-19.

"We are pushing our system to the brink," Zerwas said of the health care system he saw first-hand, adding that if we don’t get the virus’ spread under control right away, he thinks it’ll be too late.

Walz noted that the state can add 400 ICU beds and almost double its hospital capacity in about 72 hours with its surge plans, but the main issue now is a shortage of health care workers, not necessarily the beds. Those health care workers are members of their communities and being affected by community spread like everyone else, which is why it’s so important that people follow the health guidelines because it impacts the state’s health care system.

Walz added that gatherings, including holiday events, could be mini-spreaders of the virus, which would be "catastrophic" for the state.

More restrictions coming Wednesday

Walz hinted more rollbacks for Minnesota are on the way but was asked Tuesday why he’d wait to announce the restrictions if the situation is so dire. He responded that he and his team have still been looking closely at the data to see what kind of measures to implement and added that it takes some time to draft the executive orders. However, more restrictions will be announced Wednesday. Some of those will affect youth sports, those trying to wrap up their shortened fall schedules like football and volleyball, and winter activities as well. There are indications the pause on winter sports could last until early January 2021.

Walz was asked about youth sports and said MDH is seeing COVID-19 spread in those activities, particularly from asymptomatic people. He noted that those activities are critical to the well-being of kids but the dangerous level of spread of the virus right now comes first. He added that restrictions that will pause or impact those activities will be announced Wednesday.

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