The state has identified 631,858 cases of COVID-19 as of today (increase of 15,074 since our last newsletter two weeks ago), with 614,302 of these patients no longer required to be isolated (increase of 10,743). 7,750 deaths have been reported (increase of 62). 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:
- Employees who are working onsite must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 11 or get weekly COVID-19 testing, and test negative.
- Reminder: 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.
- The Council and its committees, advisory committees, and work groups will continue to hold their meetings virtually through at least Oct. 31.
- Some business travel, to perform “necessary work functions,” is allowed under new travel guidance from the State of Minnesota.
- Our new guidance is that employees who can telework should continue to do so at least through Oct. 31. Telework transition plans need to be finalized mid-October, then implemented at the appropriate time.
Read on for more about these updates.
Employees must be fully vaccinated or get weekly testing by Oct. 11
All Met Council employees who are assigned to onsite work must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 11 or get weekly COVID-19 tests (and test negative), in conjunction with guidance from the State of Minnesota.
As some teleworkers return to the office this fall, those employees, because they’re assigned to onsite work, will also need to be fully vaccinated or get tested. However, employees who can telework should continue teleworking at least through Oct. 31. (See more information below in this newsletter.)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that individuals are fully vaccinated if one of the following conditions are met:
- Two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccination series approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the World Health Organization (WHO)
- Two weeks after a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine approved by the FDA or the WHO
The Met Council pandemic planning teams are still working through the specifics of how this process will be administered. We will communicate specifics in the coming weeks about the full process, which will include (but not be limited to) the following considerations:
- How employees will provide proof of vaccination (and what if your card is lost)
- Process for obtaining a COVID-19 test and providing results
- Expectations for contractors and vendors
Schedule appointments soon to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 11
In his announcement about this requirement for state agency employees, Gov. Tim Walz noted the emergence of the Delta variant and need for employees and customers to have confidence in their safety and security. This new requirement will also continue to curtail the further impact of the virus in our communities. “Vaccination is the best way to keep employees and the people we serve safe and ensure the Delta variant does not derail our economy,” Gov. Walz said.
Met Council employees have the next seven weeks to be vaccinated or they will need to get regular COVID-19 tests, in order to report onsite for work. The Met Council and its operating divisions will be following state guidance that requires anyone who is currently working onsite – including teleworkers who plan to transition back to the office in the coming weeks – must be fully vaccinated or test negative.
We are providing this notice so employees who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 have time to obtain the vaccine. With vaccinations that require two shots, the waiting period between shots is 21 days for the Pfizer vaccine and 28 days for the Moderna. If you begin the process by Aug. 27, you could be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1 with the Pfizer vaccine and by Oct. 8 with the Moderna.
Vaccine appointments are available on Mondays and Thursdays at both Well@Work clinics; appointments are required, and masks must be worn at all times in the clinics. You can also schedule an appointment at one of the state’s Community Vaccination Program sites.
Details will be shared soon
We are still working with our Human Resources and pandemic response command teams to determine the process for employees to submit proof of vaccination and to facilitate the testing process and expectations. We will also determine any appropriate processes for religious or personal medical exemptions related to the COVID-19 vaccination. We will communicate details about this process in the coming weeks.
We will create a frequently asked questions page on MetNet with up-to-date information. That page will be updated regularly. We will continue to communicate any changes as quickly as we can. Continue looking for emails from me to clarify the situation as it evolves.
Vaccines shown to be highly effective
The overwhelming majority of new COVID-19 cases are linked to the highly contagious Delta variant and affect unvaccinated Minnesotans. Less than 0.2% of fully vaccinated Minnesotans have tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, peer-reviewed studies show all three vaccines authorized for use in the United States are highly effective at preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19.
More than 71% of Met Council employees have been fully vaccinated, according to data from HealthPartners. (Note that we do not have specific information about who is vaccinated from HealthPartners. We only receive summary data.)
Thank you for your attention and commitment to this important matter and the safety of our colleagues and customers.
Reminder: Masks required inside Met Council facilities
Earlier this month, Met Council leaders reinstated the mask requirement for all facilities. 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.
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.
Review the details in the Aug. 5 COVID-19 update email to all staff.
Public meetings will be virtual through October
To allow time for appropriate planning and for the Met Council to monitor the spread of Delta and other COVID-19 variants, Chair Charlie Zelle has extended the timeline for public meetings to be held virtually.
The Council and its committees, advisory committees, and work groups will continue to hold their meetings remotely through at least Oct. 31. Those meetings will be conducted in accordance with Minnesota Statutes section 13D.021, and the public will continue to be notified of upcoming meetings through the Met Council’s website. To the extent practical, the Met Council will endeavor to allow the public to monitor the meetings electronically from a remote location.
State issues updated COVID-19 travel guidance
Some business travel, to perform “necessary work functions,” is allowed under new travel guidance from the State of Minnesota. Any employees who are requesting permission for travel, whether in state or out of state, must submit requests to the Met Council Incident Command to assess whether work is deemed “necessary.”
At this time, employees will not be allowed to attend in-person conferences that require travel. Employees are encouraged to attend virtual conferences and professional development opportunities.
Staff who work with travel requests will be contacting individuals who have already arranged for approved travel, regarding potential cancellation and refunds.
For information about submitting requests for travel, or if you're unsure whether to cancel approved travel or wait for further guidance, contact Michele Heupel at Michele.Heupel@metc.state.mn.us.
Met Council COVID-19 cases and vaccination rates
The Met Council has 27 current (active) cases of COVID-19, and we have had 18 new cases since our last newsletter two weeks ago.
Based on information from HealthPartners and the state's vaccine tracking from earlier this month, more than 71% of Met Council employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 68% have completed the vaccine series. Note that we do not have specific information about who is vaccinated from HealthPartners; we only receive summary data.
Tools to help you find vaccination opportunities
As of Tuesday (Aug. 17), 3,264,937 Minnesotans had received at least one vaccine dose and 3,056,221 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:
Those who can telework should continue at least through Oct. 31
As we see COVID-19 cases on the rise and continue to adjust our procedures and guidelines to keep all our employees safe, our pandemic response team has updated our guidance that Met Council employees who can telework should continue teleworking at least through Oct. 31.
Plans need to be finalized mid-October
Teleworking employees should consider this updated guidance as they work with their managers to create their new plans, which need to be finalized mid-October.
As part of the telework transition, departments are providing general direction, and employees and managers will work together on their individual plans. The teleworker's new schedule will fall into one of four categories: 100% onsite, hybrid A (primarily onsite), hybrid B (primarily remote), or 100% remote.
Telework transition plans need to be finalized mid-October, then implemented at the appropriate time – that plan might say, for example, that a team or an individual will wait longer before returning onsite.
Reminder: Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet
Teleworking employees should check out the Telework Transition FAQ page on MetNet for initial 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 your questions are not answered on this page, please ask your manager or supervisor. Or, if you would like to ask anonymously, submit your question or comment in the online COVID-19 form. Others may be wondering the same thing. We will review submissions and try to address the question or concern in the FAQ or other upcoming communication.
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 |
27 |
| Cumulative COVID-19 since onset |
571 |
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 |
4 |
89 |
81 |
8 |
| MT |
14 |
467 |
448 |
19 |
| MTS |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| RA |
0 |
12 |
12 |
0
|
| Total |
18 |
571 |
544 |
27
|
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