Jill Schramm/MDN Minot Police Department personnel don masks at Tuesday’s city council meeting, at which members discussed COVID-19 protocols for city employees.

COVID-19 protocols for Minot city employees aren’t changing at this time, but city officials are keeping a watch on virus infection numbers.

Due to COVID-19 cases among employees, there has been discussion about reinstating precautionary measures to avoid city services being impacted should cases continue to rise, City Manager Harold Stewart said.

“I just want you to know that we’re paying attention to it. We’re looking at it and exploring all avenues, and we’ll continue to do so,” Stewart told the Minot City Council Tuesday.

Protocols can be put in place through an emergency measure imposed by the mayor or through action by the city’s Civil Service Commission.

The quickest avenue is an emergency measure. However, Mayor Shaun Sipma said an emergency measure has broader implications, and he knows of no North Dakota community that has taken that step at this time.

“While we’re seeing the numbers increase, it could very well send a wrong message out to the public in terms of, I think, just the general state of the community,” Sipma said. “An emergency declaration does also have a lot of other, I think, strong undertones with it that can be misinterpreted by many. In short, I think it would put a lot more people on edge. Not to say that we don’t need to be careful and mindful.”

Sipma said he prefers the Civil Service Commission handle any new protocols.

Lisa Clute, executive director for First District Health Unit, presented the latest COVID-19 information to the council. Active cases in Ward County on Tuesday totaled 184, up from 101 on the same date a year ago. However, there were only four staff in long-term care facilities and no residents with active cases.

Trinity Health has been averaging 21 to 25 COVID-19 patients, she said. Recently, three to five people have been in intensive care. There was one hospitalized child on Tuesday. During the past week, Trinity was doing about 40 treatments with monoclonal antibodies, which has been successful in preventing hospitalizations, she said.

“More and more people are wanting to be tested,” Clute added. “Typically we’re filling up at least 200 appointments per day and continually need to expand that capacity. That is a challenge to expand capacity. Last year, we had National Guard assisting.”

Vaccination rates also continue to increase at First District, especially among younger people, Clute said.

In Ward County, 46.7% of eligible residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. That includes 32.8% of 12- to 18-year-olds; 37.4% of 19- to 29-year-olds; 44.1% of 30- to 39-year-olds, 54.8% of 40- to 49-year-olds; 61.5% of 50- to 59-year-olds; 71.4% of 60- to 69-year-olds; and 76% of 70- to 79-year-olds.