Updated: 11:55 a.m.
It’s news hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans have been waiting for.
All Minnesotans 16 and older will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine starting next Tuesday, March 30. It marks a huge step forward in the state’s vaccination strategy.
“It’s a great day, Minnesota,” Gov. Tim Walz said Friday in formally announcing the expansion of eligibility.
“We’re here to end this pandemic,” Walz said. “Today is one of the days when we can start to make the big leap forward.”
Walz outlined the details of the new plan in a speech and news conference.
He said a “dramatic increase” in vaccine supply from the federal government is expected heading into April. “They’re in the pipeline and they’re coming, and we’re going to see that starting next week.”
Walz emphasized that the expansion doesn’t mean everyone will be getting a vaccine next week — but “it means you’re in line.” He said there’s enough confidence in vaccine supply and the state’s distribution system to justify the dramatic expansion.
“Families — you can go together and get everyone vaccinated. … There’s no barriers, there’s no cost,” Walz said. “This is how we break the back of this pandemic. … Vaccines in arms is how we beat this thing.”
Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the expansion will provide maximum flexibility to health care providers and other vaccination sites, to get shots into arms as fast as possible.
But the race continues between vaccinations and the spread of COVID variants in Minnesota. Walz emphasized the importance of continuing to wear masks and follow other safety measures — as well as getting tested after possible coronavirus exposure.
“None of those things stop” as vaccinations continue, he said. “We have the most robust testing system in the country — use it.”
With the infrastructure in place for testing and for delivering the increasing supply of vaccine, Walz said, “this is the light at the end of the tunnel. This is the time we’ve been waiting for.”
He called on Minnesotans to talk with their families, friends and neighbors to encourage them to get vaccinated as soon as they can.
Vaccine rollout
Right now, people with certain health conditions, as well as people whose age, jobs or living arrangements make them more vulnerable to getting COVID-19, are eligible to get vaccinated.
The state’s initial rollout plan included first opening up to more people with more underlying health conditions — and more people in professions that put them at higher risk of getting and spreading COVID-19.
But this new development moves ahead that timeline, which originally put the general public in line to be eligible for vaccination in the summer.
State health officials Thursday urged patience at the expansion on the horizon. Eligibility, they warned, does not mean instant access — and vaccine supply still does not…
Read More: Walz expands vaccine eligibility to Minnesotans 16 and older