Walz outlines COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans, over 183K doses expected to be distributed by end of year

Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz addressed plans for a vaccine rollout in Minnesota once one is approved in the United States.

Health officials have said that health care workers and long-term care residents would be among the first to get the shots in the state.

"We’re here today on a day that didn’t even seem possible when this started," Walz said during the announcement. "We’ve been working on this for months; [Minnesota was] the template for what they were doing with this nationally."

Walz says the biggest thing is for Minnesotans to feel comfortable with the data and distribution plan as a lot of work has been put into it with no corners skipped. The state will be partnering with both the federal government and local communities to make the plan happen.

The federal government will regulate and approve vaccines that are safe and will work with medical companies and vaccine manufacturers. Minnesota will work with local public health, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and more to get the vaccines to residents. Walz said the state will look to maximize immediate health benefits, reduce deaths and serious illness by getting the vaccine to those who are the most vulnerable in contracting it.

Walz reiterated to Minnesotans that it’s important to listen to local and public health officials in this process, not social media.

The governor said a statewide coalition has been huge for the state. Walz feels confident in how the state will be able to distribute vaccines, as in just 13 weeks, over 2.1 million flu vaccine doses had been administered in the state.

The federal government will tell the state how much vaccine is given. Then, the federal committee decides priorities for the vaccine, and the state committee will decide how to get the vaccine to top priority Minnesotans. In week one of vaccine distribution, the state will receive 46,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. In the first month, a total of 183,400 vaccine doses (combined Pfizer and Moderna doses) will be distributed. Both versions of the vaccines require two doses.

Walz noted that the final vaccine distribution schedule isn’t set in stone and is constantly changing. He also acknowledged that the plan is well below the state’s population initially but says it can help a lot with targeting health care workers and long-term care residents. More vaccine production is expected to ramp up as the process goes on.

"We have to stop this community spread. We have got to slow this thing down, even with the vaccine," the governor said. He added even with a vaccine plan coming into focus, the state will see thousands of deaths still in the next six months.

The state is lining up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance on who should get the vaccine first. In a three-phase approach, state health care workers and those in long-term care facilities will be first. The second phase includes people who are most at risk for serious complications from the virus. Then the third phase includes the general population.

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Detailed distribution plan*

• Phase 1A: Long-term care residents/workers, health care workers
• Phase 1B: Other essential workers (EMS workers, teachers, etc.)
• Phase 1C: Adults 65+ or with medical conditions

*The plan is subject to change. MDH officials say there are priority groups within each phase.

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If the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the vaccine, Americans could start getting vaccinated as early as next week. But even so, Walz warned the state is still far from getting back to normal.

"It’s not going to happen when the first needle goes in an arm here in a week or so – that’s just the very beginning,” Walz said. “And so I think when you’re seeing this: 5,000 cases, hospital capacity up, an average of 30, 40 deaths a day, we’re going to have to mitigate."

The Pfizer vaccine has a federal hearing on Thursday that could give it the green light. Moderna’s is set for a week later. Both vaccines have a 95% efficiency rate.

Feds passed up chance to lock in more Pfizer vaccine doses

Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said it will most likely take six months before the vaccine process is well underway and a return to normal starts to become reality. However, slowing the community spread during that time will be a key factor.

"We’re quite good at immunizations in Minnesota," Malcolm said. "But this is going to be complex."

MDH Director of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division Kris Ehresmann said there will be 25 "hubs" in the state where Minnesotans can get vaccinated. She adds from the "hubs," they will then be sent to 180 other locations.

To watch the full press conference introducing the plan, watch the video above. To watch the second part of the press conference that involves questions from reporters and a response from Minnesota politicians, watch the video below.