Governor Walz Reveals Next Phase for MN COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Governor Walz Reveals Next Phase for MN COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Governor Tim Walz announced Thursday the next phase of vaccine distribution in Minnesota. The next phase will occur after 70% of adults age 65 and older receive at least one dose of vaccine. That’s expected to occur by late March.
“We’ve never vaccinated 70% for the flu, but that’s the goal we need to get to,” Walz said during a press briefing.
As of late morning Thursday, the Minnesota Department of Health reported that 373,455 Minnesota seniors had received at least one dose. That’s about 43% of those 65 and over in the state.
“Older Minnesotans have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are focused on making sure they get vaccinated and keeping them safe,” Walz said in a statement to CCX News.
Nearly 90% of the 6,450 COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota have come from those age 65 and over. The state reported seven new deaths on Thursday due to COVID-19, five of them were older than 65. Of the other two deaths, one was in their 40s and the other in the age 60-64 grouping.
Next Phase of COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
Once roughly 70% of the state’s seniors have received the vaccine, the state will expand eligibility based on underlying health conditions and workplace exposure risk. Those in the next phase include:
- People with sickle cell disease
- Down Syndrome
- Active cancer treatment
- Immunocompromised from organ transplant
- Oxygen-dependent chronic lung and heart conditions (COPD and CHF)
The next phase would also include food processing plant workers, estimated at about 45,000 people in Minnesota.
Based on current projections, the next group of Minnesotans eligible for a vaccine will begin getting them in April.
The Walz administration says every Minnesotan should be able to get a vaccine by this summer.
MDH Lists Medical Conditions
Come late spring, the Minnesota Department of Health then plans to roll out vaccine for those with other medical conditions. MDH provides a complete list of those medical conditions here, which include diabetes and obesity. According to MDH, 75% of deaths in Minnesota are associated with medical conditions.
The Walz administration estimates that about 98-99% of people where COVID-19 is more likely to result in death will have been vaccinated by April-May.
Plans for the next phases come as teachers and seniors continue their vaccinations. As of Thursday, more than 90,000 educators and staff had been vaccinated. But for many seniors waiting for the vaccine, the process seems slow.
“We’re in a scarcity situation still,” Walz said.
Many health providers, including M Health Fairview and HealthPartners, note that they’re still seeing significant demand from those ages 75 and older. It’s why officials from those providers say doses may not be available for seniors ages 65 to 74.
State health officials do expect supply to eventually catch up with demand in the coming months. The state expects a 5% increase of Pfizer and Moderna doses for each of the next several weeks. About 108,000 doses of vaccine is expected to arrive in Minnesota by the end of this week. Federal review is also taking place on the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which could open thousands more doses soon to Minnesota.
“Johnson & Johnson being a one-dose is very significant,” said MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm.
A Feb. 25 Milestone
Feb. 25 marks one year since the CDC issued a alert warning of coronavirus outbreaks in the U.S. The milestone comes as studies coming out show that vaccine is not only slowing deaths, but also slowing spread. The vaccine started arriving in Minnesota 56 days ago.
“The vaccine is working I think even better than we could have hoped for at one point in time,” said Walz.
You can watch the governor’s full briefing here.
Also see: 2-24 COVID-19 Update: MDH Wants Families with Kids in School Tested Every Two Weeks
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