Next priority groups announced for vaccinations beginning in April
Governor Walz announced that the vaccine priority groups will remain the same until at least 70% of Minnesotans aged 65+ are vaccinated, with the goal to reach this benchmark by the end of March. At that point, eligibility will expand to people with specific high-risk health conditions and targeted essential workers.
- High-risk health conditions include: Sickle cell disease, Down Syndrome, active cancer treatment, immunocompromised form organ transplant, oxygen-dependent chronic lung and heart conditions (COPD and CHF).
- Targeted essential workers include food processing plant workers.
Later this spring, eligibility will continue to expand to groups such as those 16-64 with one or more other high-risk medical conditions, essential frontline workers, people aged 50 years and over living in multi-generational housing, and so on. More details on these groups and the vaccination timeline can be found on the Who’s Getting Vaccinated page of the State’s Covid-19 response website.
Moving on to new eligibility groups does not mean that people in early priority groups won’t have access to vaccine anymore. For the past several weeks our federal allocations have steadily increased. With new vaccines on the horizon, health officials are confident that this supply will continue to grow, allowing new groups to be added to prioritization through the spring, and the general public being eligible this summer.
All Minnesotans who have not been vaccinated can sign up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector to stay updated on eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine and connect to local vaccine opportunities when they become available.
New community vaccine site to open at the Mall of America
Minnesota is launching a new community vaccination site at the Mall of America. In the first week, over 8,000 educators and childcare workers will be able to get vaccinated. Over 10,000 doses will be directed to the other community sites in Minneapolis, Duluth, and Rochester for Minnesotans aged 65+.
See the Community Vaccination Program FAQ for more information.
Governor Walz highlights COVID Community Coordinators
This week Governor Walz showcased the State’s partnership with over 30 community-based organizations who work as COVID-19 Community Coordinators. Coordinators work directly with communities hit hardest by COVID-19, including communities of color, American Indian communities, LGBTQ+ communities, and Minnesotans with disabilities. In addition to connecting them to vaccines and other COVID-19 information, they continue to help community members find critical resources to address the impacts of COVID-19, such as employment, food access, housing, childcare, and legal rights.
Visit MDH’s COVID Community Coordinators page to learn more or find a coordinator near you.
