Metro Transit receives DHS award for mobile vaccination units

Rebecca Omastiak
[Minnesota Transportation Alliance]

Friday, Metro Transit announced it received an award from the Minnesota Department of Human Services for its work on creating mobile vaccination units.

The mobile vaccination sites were created in partnership with the Metropolitan Council and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota.

The mobile units were designed to help Minnesotans lacking access to clinics, including the undocumented, unsheltered, migrant workers, homebound, or people with transportation, technology or language barriers, according to a Metro Transit release.

Metro Transit reported that mobile vaccination clinics have so far allowed more than 7,200 people to be vaccinated across 170 sites.

"We’re proud of Metro Transit, who rolled up their sleeves to retrofit these buses so more Minnesotans can roll up theirs to get a COVID-19 vaccine," Metropolitan Council Chair Charlie Zelle said in a statement. "And, we’re proud of this collaboration with health officials and the ingenuity of transit staff to create these mobile vaccine units that will provide equitable access to the vaccine across the state."