Minnesota to wind down COVID-19 mass vaccination sites

Minnesota will start to wind down its COVID-19 mass vaccination sites after reaching the 70% vaccination goal set by President Joe Biden and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gov. Tim Walz’s office said Friday that the state will continue its efforts to make vaccines accessible with smaller community vaccination sites, but — except for the Mall of America location — mass community vaccination sites will administer their final doses on Aug. 7 at the latest. Many locations will begin only offering second doses on July 11, with the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport terminal sites still offering Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose shot until Aug. 7.

"Our Community Vaccination Program is an example of what can be accomplished through partnership, determination, and hard work," Walz said. "This program helped turn the tide on the pandemic here in Minnesota, saving countless lives. To the coalition that answered the call to meet this moment — from the courageous men and women of the Minnesota National Guard, to our nurses administering the life-saving vaccine, to the team who built the program from the ground up, and so many more — Minnesota thanks you."

Minnesotans who haven’t yet received a vaccine are still urged to get their shots.

More than 618,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered through the state’s community vaccination program this year, according to Walz’s office. A total of 27 different community sites and events were created by the program.