Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

Editor’s Note: This story was last updated in April, 2021, and may contain outdated information. Find our latest reporting on the pandemic 

Updated: April 5, 2021 | Posted: March 26, 2021

Latest COVID-19 updates in our morning newsletter

Analysis of COVID-19 numbers in Minnesota

If you’re 16 or older, you’re finally eligible to receive a vaccine in Minnesota, as of March 30. For some people, that news arrived months earlier than expected.

The process of finding a vaccine can be confusing. There are a lot of options. There are two-shot vaccines — from Pfizer and Moderna — and a one-shot vaccine — from Johnson & Johnson. And if you’re new to the process, now that your eligibility is changing, this all might be wholly overwhelming. 

Here's what you need to know about the many ways to sign up for vaccination in Minnesota — and what to consider as you do.

Just because a person is eligible doesn’t mean they’ll be able to get a shot immediately. While the state’s weekly vaccine supply is growing, demand for is expected to continue to outpace that supply for at least the next few weeks. 

And if you’re under 18 or helping someone who’s under 18 to sign up for vaccination: Keep in mind that, so far, only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for 16- and 17-year-olds. Make sure that, as you look for vaccine appointments, you’re signing up for the Pfizer doses.

It’s important to know that the streams of vaccine coming into Minnesota are distributed in several different ways. And the providers administering the doses might have their own sets of priorities for who their doses are meant to reach. 

For instance: A health care provider might prioritize older patients or those with specific health conditions that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19. Or: A public health department or hospital system might host a vaccination clinic for people who live within a certain neighborhood or region, as a way of connecting people with vaccine who might not otherwise be able to easily access it.

State and federal governments are also still prioritizing folks who are at the greatest risk of COVID-19, including specific underserved communities. 

Big picture, much of the vaccine coming through state Health Department channels is distributed among the state’s large health care providers. But some vaccine supply is also distributed by tribal, county and local public health departments; by smaller providers and through community collaborations or directly by the state Health Department at community clinics.

Vaccine supply is also getting to Minnesota through some federal avenues, as well — including Indian Health Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Federally Qualified Health Centers. 

For the best shot at getting a vaccine appointment, your best bet is to check for availability through multiple avenues. 

And if you’re lucky enough to get more than one appointment — sometimes it happens! — be sure to cancel any you don’t intend keep, so others can take your place. 

Here’s a guide to thinking through the ethics of where, when and how you get your vaccine

To help sort through the ethics of getting a COVID vaccine before you’re eligible

State health leaders and Gov. Tim Walz are urging all Minnesotans to sign up for alerts through

tool — which is being used to connect people with vaccine appointments at the state’s community clinics, as they become available. 

But it’s also helpful to check other avenues — such as health care providers, pharmacies and others — in the meantime. Some unofficial 

 have also cropped up, as more people try to make appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Scroll down to learn more about the options that apply to you. 

Health Department community vaccine clinics

Federally qualified health care clinics 

A good place to begin is with Minnesota’s 

Fill out a brief questionnaire, and you’ll get contacted when an appointment is available at a state-run vaccine clinic near you. As of early April, the state is hosting temporary clinics as needed, and running eight community vaccination clinics in cities around Minnesota:

state is also partnering with the federal government to operate a temporary vaccination clinic at the Minnesota state fairgrounds

 for eight weeks, beginning April 14. That clinic — supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency — will prioritize people who live in nearby ZIP codes with higher vulnerability to the spread of COVID-19.

Each of these clinics require an appointment for a vaccine, and none allow walk-ins. 

If a spot opens up at a clinic near you, you’ll get an email, text or phone message. The state has 

an explainer with details about where that communication will be coming from, and what to look out for

And if you have questions about the state-run clinics — or if you’re having trouble filling out the Vaccine Connector form or would prefer to register over the phone — you can call the state’s COVID-19 hotline at 

 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

But don’t stop there. There are now many options for vaccine appointments around the state. 

The state Health Department has produced a map and search tool 

to help you find vaccine locations close to where you live.

Minnesota's Vaccine Connector 

The Vaccine Connector tool and state-run clinics

Find vaccine locations statewide

If you’re a patient at one of the large health care or hospital systems around the state, chances are good that you’ll be contacted by your provider when they have a vaccine available for you. After being contacted, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up for a specific time slot and location to be vaccinated.

Many providers are continuing to prioritize vaccinating their patients according to risk factors like age and health conditions that make some more vulnerable to COVID-19.

While you wait, it’s a good idea to make sure that your health account is up to date with your existing providers, especially if you haven’t received care recently. 

And some systems will allow you to sign up for a new account — and for a vaccine appointment — even if you have not been a patient with them before. 

Many providers are asking their patients for patience. Even though the state anticipates receiving more vaccine from the federal government in the coming weeks, demand will continue to outpace supply. M Health Fairview, for example, said in late March that its vaccine appointments are booked three weeks out. 

Here are some links for vaccine information from some of the state’s largest providers: 

Many pharmacies around the state are receiving vaccine shipments directly from the federal government, rather than the state. Because of that, they may have available vaccine supply when health care providers do not. 

Most major pharmacy chains in Minnesota require you to make an appointment on their websites. For some, you can sign up to receive emails when appointments open up. Others offer waiting lists, for people to be called with little notice: 

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

 to find pharmacy appointments near you. 

Locate a pharmacy near you that's taking vaccine appointments

The state Health Department has established seven community vaccine clinics. As of the end of March, those clinics are located in Bloomington, Duluth, Mankato, Minneapolis, Rochester, St. Cloud and St. Paul. 

The state has also established — and will continue to announce — temporary clinics in other locations, as the need arises. 

To sign up for the chance to be randomly chosen to make an appointment at one of the state-run community clinics, 

visit the state’s Vaccine Connector website

Be sure to keep an eye on your email spam folder, so you don’t miss a note. And you may not want to ignore incoming phone calls from numbers you don’t recognize for the next few weeks. Phone calls alerting you to an available vaccine appointment will arrive from 954-716-7771.

The state is also distributing vaccine doses to local public health departments, although they typically don’t receive as much vaccine as health care providers and pharmacies.

Most county health departments will continue to prioritize vaccinating people in previously high-risk groups: For instance, people with underlying health conditions and certain groups of essential workers. They are also working to connect hard-to-reach members of their local communities with the COVID-19 vaccine.

And because each local public health department is distributing the vaccine each week according to the specific needs of the area, it’s best to check with your local department to see if they’re making appointments for the general public.

Find a full list of Minnesota’s local public health departments here

Some local health departments allow residents to register for a vaccine appointment, or vaccine-related alerts, on their websites. Here are a few examples — though this is by no means an exhaustive list!

All enrolled veterans are eligible to be vaccinated through the VA, but you must be 

enrolled in the VA’s health care system

Call the Minneapolis VA at 612-467-1301, or the St. Cloud VA at 320-252-1670 to schedule an appointment. 

 have been scheduled for the next couple months, in the northwest Twin Cities metro area, Albert Lea, Duluth-Superior, Mankato, Rice Lake and Rochester. 

If you’re a veteran, spouse or caregiver and want to keep up to date with COVID-19 vaccine developments at the VA, 

COVID-19 vaccine information

COVID-19 vaccinations at the VA

Sign up for more information from the VA

The federal government is sending vaccine doses directly to health care clinics that serve underserved and hard-to-reach populations, primarily in urban centers and rural areas. 

Examples of federally qualified health care clinics include

These clinics are reaching out directly to patients when they have vaccine available. But if you are a patient of one of these clinics, call or check their website to see if appointments are open. 

Tribal health departments around the state are offering the COVID-19 vaccine to members — and some are also vaccinating people who aren’t tribal citizens, but live in surrounding communities. Here is a snapshot of the many vaccination opportunities across the 11 Native nations in Minnesota.

is vaccinating all Indian Health Service patients 18 and older

. Elders 55 and older, as well as others who have underlying health conditions, are being prioritized. Eligible patients can call the band’s 24/7 COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 218-368-4763. 

to anyone who lives in several cities and towns in the surrounding community, regardles of whether they’re a band member. Those locations include: Bemidji, Bena, Blackduck, Boy River, Cass Lake, Deer River, Federal Dam, Inger, Kelliher, LaPorte, Longville, Remer, Tenstrike and Walker. 

Appointments and proof of residence are required. 

 continues to host vaccine clinics at locations across the White Earth Reservation for anyone 18 or older who lives, works or owns property on the reservation, as well as tribal members and members of their households. 

White Earth is also holding clinics in the Twin Cities metro area for tribal members and members of their household. 

Check the White Earth Facebook page for upcoming clinic details

 is holding regular vaccine clinics for people who are over the age of 18 and are Mille Lacs Band members, live in a Mille Lacs Band member home or are an essential employee of the Mille Lacs Band. 

Check the Mille Lacs Band’s Facebook page for details

COVID-19 vaccine news and information

Facebook page

is partnering with the state Health Department to operate a temporary community vaccination clinic at the Minnesota state fairgrounds

The clinic is set to run for eight weeks, beginning April 14, with the goal of vaccinating more than 100,000 people total with either the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

That clinic will prioritize people who live in nearby ZIP codes with a high “social vulnerability index,” which is a measure that the CDC uses to help determine areas of greatest need for vaccine support.

The fairgrounds clinic will support the following nearby Twin Cities area ZIP codes: 

55101, 55102, 55103, 55104, 55106, 55107, 55109, 55111, 55112, 55113, 55114, 55117, 55118, 55119, 55130, 55402, 55403, 55404, 55405, 55406, 55407, 55408, 55411, 55412, 55413, 55415, 55420, 55421, 55423, 55425, 55428, 55429, 55430, 55432, 55435, 55344, 55454, 55458

All vaccinations at the fairgrounds site will be by appointment only and will be administered seven days a week. The vaccine is free — and recipients aren’t required to show an ID or medical insurance card when they arrive to get their shot.

State health officials said in early April that they will share more information soon about how Minnesotans can sign up for the clinic, but added that if you live in the eligible ZIP codes, you should

 register on the state’s Vaccine Connector website

 — or call the state’s COVID-19 hotline at 833-431-2053 — to be chosen for an appointment.

Data in these graphs are based on the Minnesota Department of Health's cumulative totals released at 11 a.m. daily. You can find more detailed statistics on COVID-19 at the 

The coronavirus is transmitted through respiratory droplets, coughs and sneezes, similar to the way the flu can spread.

Dan Kraker

Author

As of March 30, anyone 16 and older is eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in Minnesota. But the process of finding a vaccine can be confusing, and there are a lot of options. Here's what you need to know about the many ways to sign up for vaccination in Minnesota — and what to consider for each.

Beginning Tuesday, anyone 16 and older is eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19  in Minnesota. But the process of finding a vaccine can be confusing, and there are a lot of options. Here's what you need to know about the many ways to sign up for vaccination in Minnesota — and what to consider for each.

How to find a COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota

Go Deeper.

Like this?