MDH to Study Spread of COVID-19 in Five Northwest Suburbs

In an effort to better understand how COVID-19 has spread throughout Minnesota, the MN Dept. of Health is going door-to-door this month to conduct a survey and perform free diagnostic and antibody testing in communities across the state, including five of the northwest suburbs.

Dr. Ruth Lynfield with the Minnesota Department of Health

“There are many people who may not have had symptoms, or may have had very mild symptoms, and they may not have been tested,” said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, a state epidemiologist from the MN Dept. of Health. “And so this will provide some insight regarding how many people may have had this infection.”

Lynfield said the MDH will approach 1,260 households spread throughout six different regions of Minnesota.

New Hope, Plymouth, Crystal, Robbinsdale and Maple Grove are among the cities where randomly-selected households will have state health officials knock on their doors.

“At this point in time, I’m not sure how many people will agree to participate,” Lynfield said. “We hope a lot, because the more that participate, I think, the more we can learn about the impact of COVID-19 in Minnesota. But as soon as we finish the study and we’re able to look at our numbers, we’ll certainly share it with everyone.”

This is the first time the MDH has conducted a survey of its kind in Minnesota. The survey runs began Sept. 14 and runs through Sept. 30. 

MDH officials say it will take roughly two months to analyze the data and put together the results.

Crystal | Maple Grove | New Hope | Plymouth | Robbinsdale