Minnesota Ramps Up COVID-19 Vaccinations; Doubles Number of Shots Administered Per Day Compared to Last Week
On Wednesday, Governor Walz announced that the State of Minnesota has ramped up its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, and is now administering two times the number of shots given per day on average compared to just last week. The increase in vaccination rate follows Governor Tim Walz’ directives given last Monday designed to accelerate the availability of vaccine across the state.
To date, More than 600,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Minnesota.
Governor Walz Makes More than 35,000 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Available for Minnesota Seniors this Week, Launches Statewide Vaccine Finder Detailing Vaccine Opportunities
On Monday, Governor Walz announced that more Minnesotans aged 65+ than ever will be able to get their vaccine in Minnesota. In addition to the new, large-scale, permanent state community vaccination sites that continued to vaccinate 65+ Minnesotans with the same number of doses as in previous weeks, the state sent additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine to more than 100 hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers to administer vaccines to Minnesota seniors.
The Walz-Flanagan administration also launched an online vaccine finder to better connect Minnesotans age 65+ to vaccination opportunities in communities near where they live. The vaccine finder will allow all eligible Minnesotans the opportunity to seek out the vaccine from a local provider.
Governor Walz Highlights Budget Proposal to Improve Public Safety Across Minnesota
On Wednesday, Governor Tim Walz highlighted a budget proposal to improve public safety across Minnesota through the State Aid for Emergencies (SAFE) Account. The SAFE Account would provide public safety cost-share assistance through a reimbursement mechanism to local governments during an unplanned or extraordinary public safety event that exhausts available local resources, including mutual aid.
“Over the past year, Minnesota has experienced some of the most significant public safety challenges in a generation,” said Governor Walz. “While we cannot predict every challenge that may arise, we can and must be prepared to protect the safety of all Minnesotans. The SAFE Account does just that. By helping local governments with expenses that arise from extraordinary events, we can ensure that the safety of Minnesotans remains the utmost priority.”
Lieutenant Governor Flanagan Touts Minnesota’s Successful Efforts to Keep Child Care Open Amid Pandemic
On Wednesday, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan visited Mis Amigos Spanish Immersion Preschool to highlight the Walz-Flanagan Administration’s push to provide testing, funding, and now vaccines to child care providers to help ensure their doors remain open amid the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 90 percent of Minnesota’s licensed child care providers operating before the pandemic are operating today – making the state one of the best in the nation in maintaining programs during the pandemic.
One Million Minnesotans Opt-In to Exposure Notification System COVIDaware MN
On Tuesday, Governor Walz announced that since the initial launch of the exposure notification system COVIDaware MN on November 23, 2020, more than one million Minnesotans have opted-in to the COVIDaware MN system. COVIDaware MN notifies you if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, and you can anonymously alert others if you test positive.
Get the COVIDaware MN app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
- More than 600K COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Minnesota (Star Tribune)
- Vaccine numbers close to eclipsing COVID-19 cases in Minnesota (Star Tribune)
- Walz authorizes state disaster assistance for Faribault County (KEYC)
- Walz confirms major changes to Minnesota’s vaccine program (Bring Me the News)
- Vaccine Rollout: Number Of Daily Shots Administered Doubles Compared To Last Week (WCCO)
- New vaccine site to open in Duluth; vaccine finder launched (WDIO)