The next phase of Minnesota's COVID-19 vaccine rollout won't happen until at least 70 percent of Minnesotan's 65 and older receive at least one dose.
Governor Tim Walz is set to announce the next phase of rollouts during a Thursday afternoon press conference.
According to the state's vaccine dashboard, 364,331 Minnesota seniors, or just over 42%, have received at least one dose of vaccine.
Walz told WCCO Radio's Chad Hartman on Wednesday that he anticipates the state will be receiving more vaccine shipments from the federal government in the coming weeks.
"As long as allotments keep coming the way they are, I think they'll increase, and you'll be able to get folks in," Walz said. "What you don't want to do, we're not going to stop dead on this, just to be clear. We're not pivoting away until at least 70 percent of folks are there."
Hartman asked the governor if 70 percent was too low.
"80 percent is a high uptake rate," Walz added. "We don't know how many of those seniors aren't even in the state right now. This is just a set number. What we should be looking at is that the hospitalizations and death rates for Minnesotans 65 and older is almost lower than any place in the country."
Governor Walz will announce the next phase of Minnesota's COVID-19 vaccine strategy on Thursday at 12:15 p.m.
