Governor Tim Walz announced Tuesday that Minnesota is increasing admissions to the coronavirus vaccine after achieving its goal of vaccinating at least 70 percent of people 65 and older.
The state will extend the admission to the next two phases of Minnesotans simultaneously. Walz said the next two priority groups include people with underlying health conditions and people at risk of workplace exposure, including about 45,000 people who work at food processing plants.
‘We have asked most Minnesotans to wait patiently while protecting Minnesotans at higher risk and getting shots at at least 70 percent of our seniors. We will reach that milestone on Wednesday – well ahead of schedule, ‘Walz said in a statement. “More Minnesotans may now be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine this week.”
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The next two phases include about 1.8 million individuals who can get their shots from Wednesday.
These include Minnesotans with specific underlying health conditions such as sickle cell disease, Down syndrome, those treated with cancer or who are under immune loss, and those who have oxygen-dependent chronic lung and heart conditions.
Workers from food processing plants and other targeted essential workers were also included.
The following phases also include Minnesotans 45 years and older with one or more underlying medical conditions as identified by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Persons 16 years and older with two or more underlying medical conditions and Minnesotans 50 years and older in multi-generation housing are also eligible.
