Minnesota Expands Vaccine Eligibility To All 16 and Older

(KNSI) – All Minnesota residents 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Tuesday.

Governor Tim Walz made the announcement on Friday.

“We’re here to end this pandemic. We are on the doorstep of doing this. We’re not done. The analogy we used is a few nice days does not make spring. But certainly, it is here and today is one of those days where we can start to make the big leap forward.”

The final eligibility expansion comes ahead of a significant increase in Minnesota’s vaccine allotment from the federal government.

“These vaccines are coming. We’re quickly getting doses out. We know that more are coming next week. That allocation is there. The good news is Minnesota; we built a system that can absorb a large number of vaccines coming into the state and can get out quickly. But again, vaccines on the shelves do nothing. Vaccines in arms are how we beat this thing.”

Starting next week, Minnesota will get 300,000 vaccines and is one of the top states in getting vaccines to people.

Walz says the state will prioritize vaccinating people who are more at risk for worse outcomes from COVID-19.

“That fast lane on the left is still for seniors 65 and above. And as long as someone’s in that lane, they are being prioritized to get that. But what this allows us to do and with the number of vaccines the state of Minnesota is getting, if no one’s in that lane, our providers will move to the next lane.”

Providers are also urged to prioritize frontline workers and those with underlying health conditions.

He says to break the pandemic’s back, as many people as possible need to get vaccinated, and that’s.

“And what we want to do is we want to keep the queue loaded so that we go for that goal that we need to get to 80% or above of our population vaccinated. To get that immunity that we need to truly turn back to all of the things we love so much.”

More than 1.5 million Minnesotans have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.

Minnesota has vaccinated 80% of its people 65 and older, and at least two in every three educators, school staff, and child care workers.

To get registered for a vaccine, click here.

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