Over 44K Minnesota kids vaccinated this month, roughly 10% of them at school clinics

Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz’s office announced that more than 44,000 students ages 5 to 11 have been vaccinated against COVID-19 so far this month.

Of the 44,250 children vaccinated through Nov. 14, over 4,000 received the vaccine at one of the 19 school clinics across the state since Nov. 3.

The Minnesota Department of Health has partnered with more than 30 schools across the state to schedule on-site vaccination clinics this month, Walz’s office said.

"School vaccine clinics provide the ultimate convenience for Minnesota families to get their kids protected against COVID-19," Walz said. "I am grateful for all the schools and partners hosting these clinics across the state for helping our kids can be kids again."

MDH and local health departments are also hosting more than 100 school vaccine clinics over the rest of the year.

"These voluntary clinics are one more way to support safer classrooms and keep students learning in-person this year," said John Magas, Superintendent of Duluth Public Schools, which has hosted 11 clinics so far. "It’s an important tool in the COVID response tool kit. The collective effort to make these clinics happen is really extraordinary to see, from our local staff and volunteers to the work of our county and state partners. We’ve heard from so many families how appreciative they are for this opportunity."

The Walz administration says it has also done the following, based on community feedback:

• Tripled capacity at the vaccination site in Mall of America to provide up to 1,500 shots per day to 5- to 11-year-olds.
• Set up clinics with MDH’s COVID-19 Community Coordinators – trusted community partners – to offer vaccines not only to 5- to 11-year-olds, but shots for the whole family.
• Minnesota’s pharmacies are preparing to provide COVID-19 vaccine to children under the age of 12 in some or all their locations, based on their supply from the federal government.