Minnesota COVID-19 vaccine rollout lagging behind neighboring states, reports show
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For some, the emergency use approval of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines meant Christmas came early, and there was some sort of hope that the pandemic will ease.
“We are delivering millions of doses of a safe and effective vaccine that will soon end this terrible pandemic and save millions and millions of lives,” President Donald Trump said in a Christmas Eve video.
But the rollout for the prioritized groups — such as health care workers and those in long-term care facilities — still has a long way to go.
The latest count from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 9.5 million vaccines were delivered but only 1 million Americans have received injections so far.
Minnesota isn’t moving as quickly as some neighboring states.
In this Monday, July 27, 2020 file photo, a nurse prepares a shot as a study of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., gets underway in Binghamton, N.Y.[AP Photo/Hans Pennink]
The Minnesota Department of Health’s latest report from earlier this week shows about 3,000 people have received the Pfizer vaccine out of nearly 47,000 doses.
A vaccine tracker from Johns Hopkins University shows neighboring states are making progress more quickly.
North Dakota has vaccinated 12,990 — 1,087 people were vaccinated on Christmas Eve. South Dakota is reaching the 10,000 mark, with nearly 1,400 vaccinated on Thursday. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reports more than 10,000 people in the state had been vaccinated as of Sunday.
Iowa has not yet reported official numbers.
Federal officials, however, say they’re hoping to have 200 million vaccine doses delivered by the end of March.
"Operation Warp Speed” expects a third vaccine from Johnson and Johnson could receive emergency use authorization in February.