Richfield Launches Coronavirus Dashboard

Press release from the City of Richfield:

August 25, 2020

The City of Richfield created a new COVID-19 dashboard to share case numbers, deaths and key demographic breakdowns of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic arrived in Minnesota on March 6, 2020.

As of August 25, 2020, 783 Richfield residents have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, with 74 patients requiring hospitalization and 12 deaths.

“Residents want to know how COVID-19 is affecting the community, but until now they had to rely on numbers from the state and county,” acknowledged Mayor Maria Regan Gonzalez.

“Thanks to the creation of the Richfield-specific COVID-19 dashboard they can dig into local numbers on their own.”

For months, Richfield residents have been interested in obtaining the daily numbers of disease spread within the city, but during the early stages of the pandemic, not enough diagnosed cases existed to provide patients with the necessary anonymity required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

By August 2020, local health officials felt that a critical mass of cases had occurred in Richfield to create a public dashboard.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have done everything possible to remain transparent with Richfield residents about how the disease is affecting the city,” stated Community Health Services Administrator Jennifer Anderson. “The new public dashboard will provide the community with a snapshot of local COVID-19 cases and follow the disease fluctuations over time.”

The dashboard will be updated at least once a week.

Local public health officials believe that the creation of a city-specific COVID-19 dashboard will help residents understand the ebbs and flows of the disease better. However, they also caution that the dashboard is only one piece of the disease puzzle.

“Fifty years ago, city residents tended to work, live, learn and enjoy leisure activities in their home city, but that is not the case anymore,” remarked Anderson. “Focusing only on Richfield numbers provides a limited, localized snapshot of the disease because people travel in and out of the city, state and country. It is important to review data from other sources to obtain a broader understanding of what is happening.”

Richfield’s communities of color have been hit hardest by the novel coronavirus. Residents of color make up 29.6 percent of the city’s population, but account for nearly 70 percent of total COVID-19 cases.

Demographically, age is also proven to be a critical factor in the number of fatalities. All 12 deaths from COVID-19 in Richfield have occurred in patients over the age of 70.

As residents have seen throughout the pandemic, some weeks the numbers will go up and other weeks they will go down. However, until a vaccine becomes available it does not matter what the numbers say, everyone must remain vigilant.

“COVID-19 is a rollercoaster,” advised Anderson. “But, as long as we wear our masks, socially distance and avoid mass gatherings, we will be better situated to bear the brunt of the virus.”

Health officials know a lot more about COVID-19 than they did in March and have been able to provide citizens with better information and guidance.

“With COVID-19 we are adjusting to a new normal and the more data we have about the virus the better,” said Councilmember At-Large Mary Supple. “The city’s new COVID-19 dashboard will allow residents to make more informed decisions as they go about their daily lives.”

The city’s COVID-19 dashboard can be found by visiting: www.richfieldmn.gov/COVIDdashboard.

This press release was produced by the City of Richfield. The views expressed here are the author’s own.