Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Developmental
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related
Aircraft X was climbing southbound after departing; I initiated a handoff to Sector XY; anticipating a flash-through to Sector YX.  I anticipated watching for the handoff to be made; and made a pointout to OMA approach.  While this was going on; I had multiple aircraft needing weather calls in other parts of the airspace; as well as at least two calls from flight data and flight service; as well as two calls from aircraft airborne off of airports beginning IFR flights.  By the time all these had been dealt with; I had failed to get back quickly enough to Aircraft X; and he had entered Sector XY's airspace without them accepting the handoff.  I then called them with a verbal handoff and they accepted the automated handoff.Given the weather situation; I think having all three low sectors open with the need to provide weather reports in the northeast part of the airspace; given the volume; was probably not appropriate.  We have been running thin crews do to COVID-19; and thus have been keeping sectors combined when they likely would have been split during normal operations.  I think this added volume and complexity contributed to this airspace violation.  In the future; as more controllers return; I think it would be better to split sectors off more quickly to reduce workload.
ZMP Center Controller reported an airspace deviation while working combined sectors. COVID-19 staffing levels contributed to the event.