Hodgepodge of vaccine rules for county jails in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Employees at Minnesota state prisons are required to show proof that they’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. But, only two Minnesota counties, Hennepin and Ramsey, have a similar requirement for their jails.

Unlike state prisons, which are operated by the Minnesota Department of Corrections, jails are under the authority of county sheriffs, who set their own policies.

State health officials say that as of Oct. 22, there have been 1,358 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among people incarcerated or detained in Minnesota jails, and 661 cases among jail staff since the start of the pandemic

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