1 Minnesota school staff member COVID-19 death reported Thursday, bringing total to 20

An additional Minnesota school staff member’s COVID-19 death was reported in the Minnesota Department of Health’s latest weekly COVID-19 report, bringing the total school staff deaths since the start of the pandemic to 20.

It was the first reported school staff COVID-19 death of 2022.

The data counts all types of schools in the state including public, private and charter.

"This is another tragic reminder of the continued toll the pandemic is taking on educators and students across Minnesota," Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota, said in a press release. "Educators are exhausted and so are parents and students, but we must continue to protect each other, especially through the current omicron surge."

Education Minnesota says that they are continuing to push MDH for more data about the school staff members and students who have been hospitalized or died during the pandemic. The organization says this information would help school districts make choices related to health and safety protocols.

Three students have died from COVID since the start of the pandemic.