According to the state’s weekly updated vaccine dashboard, the allotment jumped by nearly a quarter of a million doses, for a total of 871,650. Dept. of Health commissioner Jan Malcolm said they are reserved for second doses, but the anticipation continues about how the Biden Administration can speed up shipments and vaccinations.
MDH says with all the Minnesotans in queue right now including those 65 and up, teachers, childcare workers, healthcare workers and long term care residents and employees, it would take 4 and a half months before moving on to anyone else at the current pace.
The Biden Administration has pledged 100 million doses in 100 days. If that comes to fruition, Minnesota could have about 250,000 doses on hand by the end of April -- leaving the state very close to an 80 percent vaccine rate for recommended adults.
“That’s a big group that we’re now working through,” Malcolm said. “We could do it in six weeks with the right supply and many months if we don’t.”
The state is still struggling with short supply and a weekly shipment of less than 70,000 doses on the way again. But all skilled nursing facilities will have been offered or completed their dose with assisted living set to wrap up within the next month.
“I feel like we’re racing the clock to get 3 million vaccinated as quickly as we can. At the current pace [with the new administration] that’s about 90 days to 100 days,” Walz said.
Tuesday at noon another sign-up round for the 9 pilot vaccination sites for those 65 and older, teachers and childcare workers. Officials promise a smoother experience after a huge response this week, but Walz envisions something different in the future.
“We think it might make more sense to create this central registry, get folks in and in a queue, not promising they’re going to get a vaccine that we don’t have, but once we get it, start sending out those notices and get them in,” Walz said. “Then it’s a little bit more orderly. That incredible frustration of getting on, and like I said last week it proved to be sure that those Springsteen tickets were easier to get than a slot in Marshall to get a vaccine.”
But determining who is next to be added to the queue and when, and when younger folks without underlying health conditions might be able to access a vaccine is undetermined.
“When it makes sense to announce that is a little bit dependent on what we can learn from the federal government about how much the supply might ramp up,” Malcolm said. “On the other hand, as the governor has said, maybe there’s value in talking about what would be the next wave, even if that’s not going to be for a couple of weeks or months, to be honest. That’s a conversation we’re still having.”
