Expanding Eligibility to All Minnesotans 16+
• We have made tremendous progress getting vaccines to Minnesotans who need them most. Now, it’s time to get as many Minnesotans vaccinated as quickly as possible to end this pandemic.
• That goal is more achievable than ever. We worked hard to vaccinate Minnesotans sooner than we originally projected, thanks to the great work of our healthcare providers and Minnesotans stepping up to get their shot.
• In the three months since the first doses of vaccine arrived, our state has become a national leader in getting shots into arms quickly, especially for our priority populations.
o This week we were ranked number one in the country for the percentage of vaccine doses administered to Minnesotans.
o We also hit a major milestone: we have vaccinated 80% of our seniors, outperforming the nation. We have also vaccinated at least 66% of our school and child care personnel. We have made vaccines available to everyone living or working in long-term care. And we are getting people with underlying health conditions and our frontline workers vaccinated.
• The Biden Administration is about to deliver a surge of doses to states.
o Minnesota providers received more than 150,000 doses of vaccine this week.
Retail pharmacies received an additional 50,000 doses.
o The federal government has promised tens of thousands more doses per week
by April – and I trust they will follow through.
• We have proven we can get doses to Minnesotans quickly. We have built an expansive,
steady network of vaccine providers to get shots to people around the state. And our
supply is about to surge in the weeks ahead.
• It’s time to make sure there are no barriers left between every Minnesotan and their
vaccine. So beginning Tuesday, every Minnesotan 16 years of age and older will be
eligible to get a shot.
• Not everyone will be able to get a shot on demand right away. Though we are getting
more doses than ever, we are not going to get all that we need, all at once.
Immunizing for Impact, Ensuring Fair & Equitable Distribution
• As we expand eligibility to all Minnesotans, we will continue to honor our commitment to immunizing for impact and facilitating a fair, equitable distribution of vaccine doses.
o As we utilize the same successful strategies we’ve used since the beginning of the pandemic, we are directing providers to prioritize vaccine appointments for those who are currently eligible, including older Minnesotans, those with underlying health conditions, and those in frontline jobs. These Minnesotans carry the highest risk, and they will remain our top priority.
• We are dedicated to making sure every single community in Minnesota has fair, equitable access to these vaccines. With more doses arriving in Minnesota, we can now double down on our strategies to get more vaccines to Minnesota’s BIPOC communities.
o We have further expanded our commitment to an equitable vaccine distribution by adding co-founder of Minnesota Doctors for Health Equity Dr. Nathan Chomilo to our vaccine leadership team. Dr. Chomilo will bring his years of experience addressing inequities in health care to better implement and strengthen our efforts to embed equity in every facet of our vaccine distribution.
o We are working in-community and preparing to launch new, creative methods for delivering vaccine to our communities who need them. Our plans include mobile vaccination units that will literally hit the road in the coming weeks.
• These strategies for focus communities will help expand the state’s all-of-the-above approach and work directly with community and health partners to better serve Minnesotans from Black, Indigenous, and communities of color:
o Continue partnerships with FQHCs and expand vaccine distribution to community clinics
o Expand vaccine to more community pharmacies
o Expand vaccine to community-based vaccination sites
o Connect focus community members with vaccines in their communities o Deploy mobile vaccination units to hard-to-reach populations
How to Get Your Vaccine
• All Minnesotans who have not yet received a vaccine should sign up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector.
o The COVID-19 Vaccine Connector helps Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
o By signing up for the Vaccine Connector, you will also be entered into the random selection process for the state’s Community Vaccination Program sites.
• But Minnesotans do not have to wait for information from the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector before getting their shot.
o Use the Vaccine Locator Map to find vaccine providers near you;
o Connect with your primary health care provider or local pharmacy;
o Your employer may reach out to you with information about vaccination
opportunities.
• Vaccines are available at no cost.
Get Vaccinated to End the Pandemic
• Minnesota, now is the time to get your vaccine. There's a race between vaccines and variants – and the vaccines must win.
• Getting vaccinated is safe and highly effective at preventing severe COVID-19.
o Every vaccine authorized right now has undergone rigorous, historically large clinical trials. They all have been shown to prevent severe illness and death, with limited, light side effects.
• Getting vaccinated will protect yourself and your loved ones.
o We’re seeing that first-hand. In long-term care, where 100% of residents have
been offered a shot, cases have declined 96% in those settings. Deaths have
declined 97%.
o The vaccines just plain work! We can replicate this statewide.
• Getting vaccinated will get us back to the people we love and the things we’ve missed. o Fully vaccinated families and groups of friends can gather together inside safely.
Vaccinated grandparents can hug their grandchildren.
o We have missed these connections so much — and you can get back them by
getting your shot.
• Getting vaccinated will end this pandemic.
o We need broad community protection before we are able to rein in COVID-19 —
and the way we get there is by getting vaccinated.
• By the end of May, every eligible Minnesotan who wants a shot should be able to get
one. But that means that everyone needs to get their shot as soon as they are able to.
Stay Safe
• COVID-19 cases, positivity rates and hospitalizations are rising and variants are spreading widely across the state. We are not out of the woods yet, and we cannot let our guard down.
• The Walz-Flanagan Administration and public health officials urge Minnesotans to remain vigilant and continue following critical safety measures of social distancing, masking, washing hands, and getting tested when needed.
• You can visit mn.gov/covid19/vaccine to learn more about Minnesota's vaccine distribution.
• We can finally see the end of this pandemic. We’re going to get there together.