The state has identified 616,784 cases of COVID-19 as of today (increase of 7,768 since our last newsletter two weeks ago), with 603,559 of these patients no longer required to be isolated (increase of 4,207). 7,688 deaths have been reported (increase of 40). For more information on the current situation, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.
At the bottom of this email, you will find Met Council workforce statistics related to COVID-19 leave that have been reported to the Employee Resource Center.
Do you have thoughts or concerns on the content or frequency of these COVID-19 update emails? We would love to hear your feedback through the online COVID-19 form, so we can make sure these emails are providing the most useful and timely information to staff.
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At a glance
What you need to know this week:
- The Met Council's Face Coverings Procedure is once again in effect. All employees who are inside Met Council facilities must wear a face covering, regardless of vaccination status.
- At this time, the telework transition timeline remains but is flexible.
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Remember that we do not expect that all returning teleworkers will report onsite immediately after Labor Day. Teams are making plans now, and the teleworker's new schedule – whether it is onsite, hybrid, or remote – should be implemented the middle of October. Departments are providing general direction, and employees and managers will work together on their individual schedules.
- The new Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet provides details on related policies and procedures, the new hybrid schedules, how to prepare for the transition, and technology and workspaces in the new hybrid setup.
Read on for more about these updates.
Masks required inside Met Council facilities
In a message to all staff yesterday, leaders announced the Met Council is reinstating our mask requirement for all facilities, effective immediately.
All employees who are inside Met Council facilities must wear a face covering, regardless of vaccination status.
This applies to all Met Council employees, officers, Council members, contractors, vendors, and volunteers when in the workplace or public service environment. We are recommending that visitors wear masks. And per the federal requirement, masks must always be worn on transit.
Mask procedure back in effect
To support this requirement, our previous Face Coverings Procedure (PDF) is once again in effect, which includes requirements to practice physical distancing. Employees who don’t follow the procedure may be subject to disciplinary action, as specified in the procedure.
Except for certain exemptions, staff must wear a face covering:
- Indoors in the Met Council workplace or public service environment, including waiting outdoors to
enter an indoor space
- Outdoors while working when it is not possible to maintain social distancing
- In vehicles being used for Met Council business, unless alone in the vehicle
Key things to remember about our procedure:
- Face coverings must be worn to cover the nose and mouth completely.
- Face coverings must be worn outdoors when it is not possible to maintain physical distancing (6 feet apart).
- You can temporarily remove face coverings in indoor spaces in certain situations (e.g., when presenting, eating or drinking, communicating with an individual who is deaf or hearing impaired, or when you are alone in an office or a cubicle with walls above face level). Review the procedure for the full list of situations, and always be prepared to put on a mask if the situation changes.
- There are exemptions from the procedure (e.g., for staff who have medical conditions that make it unreasonable for them to wear a face covering, when wearing a face covering creates a job hazard, and outdoors when consistently maintaining physical distancing).
- The procedure does not apply to staff while working from home.
Masks important even if vaccinated
According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Delta variant is highly contagious, with new data suggesting it spreads about twice as easily than past versions of the virus, and fully vaccinated people may be able to pass the disease to others.
However, it is still important to get the vaccine, if you haven't already. Fully vaccinated people are less likely to get infected, and if a vaccinated person gets infected, the illness will likely be mild. The vaccine also greatly reduces the chance of hospitalization and death.
With schools opening up soon across the state and those under 12 years old ineligible to receive the vaccine, it's important that we do our part to stop the spread by wearing masks and getting vaccinated.
In addition to wearing a mask at the Met Council, MDH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend everyone, both fully vaccinated and unvaccinated, wear a mask in the following situations:
- In public, indoor settings in areas with "substantial" or "high" transmission. Refer to the CDC's COVID-19 data map to find community transmission levels by county.
- Where there is a high risk of COVID-19 spread or complications from COVID-19 infection, such as schools, health care settings, homeless shelters, and correctional facilities.
- If you are immunocompromised or at an increased risk for severe disease from COVID-19, including older adults and those who have certain medical conditions. Immunocompromised people, even if fully vaccinated, should talk to their health care providers for other specific recommendations.
- If you live or frequently interact with someone who is immunocompromised, not fully vaccinated, or at an increased risk for severe disease from COVID-19.
Continue safe practices onsite
Masks are an important part of a multi-layered approach to preventing the spread of COVID-19. In addition to mask wearing, employees should continue these health and safety practices:
- Get vaccinated if you have not yet done so and are eligible. Review the resources below to find a vaccine appointment.
- Stay home if you’re sick.
- Get tested if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or think you may have been exposed to COVID-19. Stay home if you tested positive for COVID-19, and contact your manager.
- Wash your hands often.
- Practice physical distancing.
- Clean your work space frequently.
Met Council COVID-19 cases and vaccination rates
The Met Council has 16 current (active) cases of COVID-19, and we have had 13 new cases since our last newsletter two weeks ago.
Based on information from HealthPartners and the state's vaccine tracking as of Aug. 4, 72% of Met Council employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 68% have completed the vaccine series.
Telework transition: Flexibility as virus conditions fluctuate
We appreciate all of the concerns and questions that have been submitted over the past few weeks as the COVID-19 virus and variants continue to be volatile across the country and in the Twin Cities region. The pandemic planning team and Met Council leaders are closely monitoring transmission in the region, our own Met Council cases, and updated guidance from federal and state public health officials.
That last point is particularly important. We are closely watching guidance from Minnesota health officials and taking our lead from the state. Yesterday, the state reinstated the indoor mask requirement for all state agency employees, and we followed suit.
Assessing business needs and health concerns
In addition, we want to take a minute to clarify expectations for returning teleworkers to onsite work in the coming months. Here are some key pieces for you to know as we weigh the changes in the virus and impact on our work.
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Division leaders and managers: Continue to assess whether teleworking meets your work area's business needs. If you are able to continue meeting critical business needs, you are allowed to have team members continue to telework part-time or full-time as the pandemic continues.
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Managers: Work directly with your teams to assess business needs and individual health concerns for your teams. Our timeline allows you flexibility to respond to the needs of your teams.
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Employees: Get vaccinated, get tested if you may have been exposed to COVID-19, stay home if you are sick, and communicate your concerns and needs to your managers. If you have specific concerns for the planning team, continue sending your feedback through the online form.
Transition timeline remains but is flexible
As we continue transitioning from COVID-19-imposed telework to more onsite work, please remember we are not expecting a significant number of staff to transition back to onsite office work until at least mid-October, while work areas plan for that process. Conditions may warrant changes in this timeline -- but for now, we are working with these phases and guidelines in mind:
- Preparation = July – August 2021
- Division/department leadership determine general telework direction.
- Departments begin creating initial onsite, hybrid (a combination of onsite and remote), and telework schedules. Determine employees' "primary" work locations and plan for suitable workstations.
- Phase I: Transition = September -- November 2021
- Required Work Unit Telework Plans completed, and employees and managers sign a telework agreement.
- New schedules for all teleworking employees implemented mid-October.
- Identify issues regarding technology, space, and department communication and service delivery.
- Phase II: Revise and refine = December 2021 -- February 2022
- Conduct formal check-ins with staff, team, and customers. Division/department leadership reviews and refines plans.
- Continue to address technology and space issues.
- Phase III: Normalizing = March -- May 2022
- Keep working, revising, and collecting information to make improvements.
- Phase IV: Formal review = June -- August 2022
- Formal review with employees and management is facilitated by Human Resources, the Telework Transition Team, and Council business representatives.
- Update procedures and make changes identified in the formal review.
New Telework Transition FAQ page
Check out the new Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet for details on related policies and procedures, the new hybrid schedules, how to prepare for the transition, and technology and workspaces in the new hybrid setup. This page is a living document and will be updated regularly when we have new information or guidance to share.
If you have questions not answered on this page, please ask your manager or supervisor. Or, if you would like to ask anonymously, you can submit your question or comment in the online COVID-19 form. Others may be wondering the same thing, and we will review submissions and try to address the question or concern in the FAQ or other upcoming communication.
Gift card incentive for COVID-19 vaccine
Governor Walz announced that Minnesota is joining the Biden Administration’s initiative to provide $100 to all Minnesotans age 12 and older who roll up their sleeves and get their COVID-19 vaccine through Aug. 15. With the Delta variant pushing cases up in Minnesota and across the country, the Governor is joining a national effort to fight the rise of COVID-19 as fall approaches and students go back to school.
Minnesotans 12 years of age and older who receive their first dose between Friday, July 30, and Sunday, Aug. 15, will be eligible for a $100 Visa gift card. Minnesotans can verify their first dose and register for the incentive at Get vaccinated. Get $100.
Tools to help you find vaccination opportunities
As of Tuesday (Aug. 2), 3,176,256 Minnesotans had received at least one vaccine dose and 3,007,556 people had completed the vaccine series. For up-to-date information on vaccine availability and distribution, visit the Minnesota Department of Health vaccine dashboard.
Our progress so far – and our path forward – relies on Minnesotans getting the vaccine. The vaccines are free, safe, and effective, and all Minnesotans age 12 and over can get one right now. Many sites are now offering walk-in appointments.
Check out these tools to find vaccine appointments:
Important reminders related to the vaccine:
- For the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines to last longer and be most effective against variants, two shots are required. If you’ve missed your second dose for any reason, get it as soon as possible.
- It takes at least two weeks from the final vaccine dose to develop immunity.
- Even after you are fully vaccinated, you should continue to follow safety recommendations by public health officials and get tested if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19.
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Continue testing to stop the spread of COVID-19
Anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should immediately contact their health care provider and seek testing, regardless of their vaccination status. How to get a COVID-19 test:
Check the MetNet pages, FAQs
For the most current information related to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit the MetNet page and be sure to review the FAQs for staff and managers. The telework transition FAQ page has details for teleworking staff. They are updated as we have new information to communicate.
For Metro Transit work instructions and daily updates on new COVID-19 cases reported at each worksite, visit the Metro Transit MetNet page. For job aids and facilities updates for Environmental Services related to COVID-19, visit the Environmental Services page.
If you have questions, talk to your manager or supervisor or submit a question or concern in the online COVID-19 form.
Check out the latest issues of our internal newsletters:
For those who cannot easily access MetNet and/or would like a printable PDF of the FAQs, here are the most recent versions of these pages:
Met Council workforce statistics
The following statistics related to COVID-19 have been reported to the Employee Resource Center. The "active positive COVID-19" number is the number of employees who currently have a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. The "cumulative" number marks the total number of employees who received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis since the pandemic began. The second table breaks down the positive cases by division for Community Development (CD), Environmental Services (ES), Metro Transit (MT), Metropolitan Transportation Services (MTS), and Regional Administration (RA).
Employees with positive COVID-19 diagnosis:
| |
Councilwide |
| Active positive COVID-19 |
16 |
| Cumulative COVID-19 since onset |
553 |
Employees with positive COVID-19 diagnosis by division:
These division numbers are reported by Human Resources weekly. This table reflects changes since the last update email (July 22).
|
Division
|
New cases |
Total to date |
Returned to work |
Current active |
|
CD
|
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| ES |
2 |
85 |
81 |
4 |
| MT |
11 |
453 |
441 |
12 |
| MTS |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| RA |
0 |
12 |
12 |
0
|
| Total |
13 |
553 |
537 |
16
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