TOP STORIES GALLERY: COVID in Bemidji

Beltrami County Public Health Director Cynthia Borgen, far left, speaks during a meeting held Friday, March 13, at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center to discuss the potential impacts of coronavirus in the Bemidji area. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Zach Mitchem cleans a table at Keg ‘n’ Cork on Monday, March 16, just before Gov. Tim Walz called for the closure of restaurants and bars to dine-in customers. Keg ‘n’ Cork is one of the many locations in Bemidji choosing to stay open and offer to-go orders in the meantime. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

The United Way and Bemidji Community Food Shelf have teamed up to keep the food shelf running during the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured from left on March 25: Shannon Lee, United Way of Bemidji Area director of marketing and events; Mary Mitchell, Bemidji Community Food Self executive director; and Denae Alamano, United Way of Bemidji Area executive director. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Boys and Girls Club volunteers McKenna Rohe and Morgan Morgenstern load a box of food into a vehicle on Wednesday morning, March 25, at the Bemidji Community Food Shelf. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Kaeleigh Lussier, a Red Lake Middle School student, receives meals from Chris Walker on Thursday, March 19, in the Little Rock community of Red Lake. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

Pictured clockwise from top left: Mandy Frizzell, stylist; Matt Valentine, bar manager; Lisa Rother, bakery owner; Mike Gregg, plumber; Tricia Andrews, music and arts executive director; Troy Hendricks, activities director; Hugh Welle, bank president; and Christine Christiansen, educator. (Photos by Annalise Braught, Jillian Gandsey and Hannah Olson / Bemidji Pioneer)

Children at J.W. Smith Elementary for childcare on March 23 stand spread out with their drawings from that day. (Hannah Olson/Bemidji Pioneer)

Paul Bunyan Drive was quiet and devoid of traffic at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 30, in Bemidji. It was the first business day after Gov. Tim Walz’s “stay at home” order went into effect. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

Faith McIntyre, usually a food and beverage supervisor at the DoubleTree in Bemidji, puts together a breakfast order on Tuesday, March 30. She was temporarily laid off just a few days later, on a Friday afternoon. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Joy McIntyre usually works as a breakfast hostess and gift shop supervisor at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Bemidji, but was temporarily laid off when the hotel closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Sherry Sherman paints hearts on the front door of Bemidji Woolen Mills on Friday, April 10, in downtown Bemidji. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

Paper hearts and the message “Better Together” decorate the windows of First National Bank along Paul Bunyan Drive NW. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

The playground at Diamond Point Park is currently closed as of mid- April to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

The front office windows at the United Way of Bemidji Area are decorated with paper hearts that spell out "live united." (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Sanford Health is offering drive-thru testing but patients must have prior authorization from their provider. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

Keg N’ Cork announced on Facebook Thursday, July 9, that the establishment would be closed until further notice due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Bemidji and while they wait for COVID-19 test results to come back for their staff. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

A customer walks into Raphael’s Bakery and Cafe on Tuesday, July 21, after the Bemidji City Council instituted a mask mandate at its meeting Monday evening. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Abbie Newman and Jordan Hines study on Monday in the A. C. Clark Library on the first day of class at Bemidji State University for the fall semester. (Hannah Olson / Bemidji Pioneer)

A group of students complete online health screenings outside of the Gillett Wellness Center on Monday, Aug. 24, during the first day of classes at BSU for the fall semester. (Hannah Olson / Bemidji Pioneer)

Kourtney Harkness and her son, kindergartner Beckett, speak to a Horace May staff member outside of the school on Sept. 14. Harkness said Beckett was "excited and a little nervous," for the first day of school. (Hannah Olson / Bemidji Pioneer)

Sanford Health volunteer Alicia Underdahl asks the number of families in a vehicle during a distribution event on Friday, Oct. 16, in the Sanford Center parking lot. Each family was able to receive one box of food during the drive-thru event. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

Bemidji State employee Lisa Jones helps a student register for the free COVID-19 saliva testing event for BSU and NTC students on Nov. 17, at the Gillett Wellness Center. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

From left: Hospital Pharmacy Manager Alyssa Carlson, Pharmacy Buyer and Certified Pharmacy Technician Christine Schummer, and Pharmacy Technician Supervisor Peggy Olson, unbox the first shipment of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine on Monday, Dec. 14, at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

White Earth descendant Danielle Whalen, a licensed practical nurse with Indian Health Services, was one of the first to be vaccinated on Monday, Dec. 14, at the Cass Lake Hospital. (Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer)

A dose of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine is on deck Thursday, Dec. 17, when the initial vaccines were given at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)

Dr. Ramy Abdelfattah, a special care unit physician and hospitalist, was the first to receive the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine on Thursday, Dec. 17, at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. It was given by registered nurse Heather Eichstadt. (Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer)