Rochester selected as site for state's third mass vaccination clinic
Minnesota plans to launch a permanent, large-scale vaccination site in Rochester this week, Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday.
The Rochester site will serve approximately 1,500 Minnesotans 65 and older in the first week of operation, according to a news release from the governor’s office. The site will be the third of its kind in Minnesota; similar programs went live in Minneapolis and Duluth last week.
“We still need more supply, but we have to be ready when the federal government ramps up to meet the demand,” Walz said in a written statement. “Just as Minnesota is leading in testing, we are leading in community vaccination. We will be ready to continue expanding access until every Minnesotan has the opportunity to receive the vaccine, regardless of where they live.”
The state’s first mass vaccination effort in Rochester is scheduled for Sunday at the Mayo Civic Center. Individuals from up to a 90 mile radius will be invited to receive their first dose of the vaccine.
Thus far, more than 220,000 Minnesotans age 65 and older have registered for the Covid-19 vaccine registry. According to the state, Minnesotans who have not been selected for a vaccine from the registry will remain on this list and continue to have the opportunity to be selected to schedule an appointment at one of the state’s community vaccination sites.
MDH’s selection of Rochester as a third mass-vaccination site follows a weekend in which hundreds showed up to the Rochester Community and Technical College Field House for a county-run vaccination clinic. That effort, conducted with the help of local partners like Mayo Clinic and Olmsted Medical Center, was done separate from the state program.
Health officials urge patience
Olmsted County Public Health is asking for the community’s patience amid reports that registration links designated for certain priority groups are winding up in the hands of people not yet eligible to receive the vaccine.
“We know vaccination is important to many in our community, but we ask the community to be patient and wait for notification from your employer, health care system, or Public Health,” said Olmsted County Covid-19 Operations Chief Dan Jensen. “Unfortunately, those who registered but were not specifically invited to these vaccination events will receive a cancellation. This is necessary to ensure that appointments are available for people needing the second dose of vaccine in a timely fashion.”
Meanwhile, Public Health said individuals awaiting the scheduling of their second dose should expect to receive a confirmation email with a date, time, and location for their appointment by February 12.
As of last Friday, more than 32,300 people in Olmsted County had received their first dose of the vaccine; nearly 17,000 individuals had completed the two-dose series. As a percentage of the population, both numbers rank among the highest in the state — which now has the 14th leading rate of Covid-19 vaccine administration in the country.
Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.
Cover photo licensed via Getty
