COVID-19 Updates: April 28, 2021

View this as a webpage Minnesota Department of Health April 28, 2021 Minnesota News and Outreach Direct Scheduling for COVID-19 Vaccination Sites Minnesotans can now use the Vaccine Connector to directly schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the state's COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program locations. These sites are strategically located around the state to give Minnesotans another option to get their COVID-19 vaccine. There are currently locations in Saint Paul, Bloomington, Oakdale, Mankato, Duluth, Rochester, Lino Lakes, and St. Cloud. A federally-supported location at the State Fairgrounds specifically serves residents of socially vulnerable zip codes in and around Minneapolis and Saint Paul. If all appointments are full, Minnesotans can also sign up to be informed when they are able to book a Community Vaccination Program appointment and be notified about other vaccination opportunities near them. Visit the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector to get an appointment or sign up for updates! Vaccine Outreach Campaign: Teens As a part of the statewide "Roll Up Your Sleeves, Minnesota" campaign, vaccine appointments will be prioritized for 16- and 17-year-olds and their parents at the Mall of America community vaccination site this week. This push comes as Minnesota is seeing a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, especially among younger Minnesotans. Getting vaccinated will help give Minnesota's teens the best chance to learn in-person, participate in sports and activities, attend graduation, and go to prom. Of course, they still need to continue masking, handwashing, and social distancing. For those still too young to be vaccinated, testing is critical. At this time, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the only COVID-19 vaccine that has been studied and authorized for use by people ages 16 and 17. Learn more at Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine for People Ages 16 and 17 (PDF). Schedule an appointment now: Mall of America Community Vaccination Registration. Visit the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector to get an appointment at a different Community Vaccination Program location or sign up for updates. Please verify that they are administering Pfizer before scheduling an appointment. Go to CDC: VaccineFinder to schedule an appointment for a Pfizer vaccine at a pharmacy near you. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Materials We are adding new videos, print materials, and translated documents often. Check out the pages below to view, download, or print these resources. Materials and Resources for COVID-19 Response Videos for COVID-19 Response The situation is changing rapidly. Visit Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for the most up-to-date information and follow MDH on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram to stay informed. What's New Resuming Johnson & Johnson Vaccine On April 23, CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met to review vaccine safety data on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. They voted to resume using the vaccine for all adults. The use of the vaccine was paused on April 13 after some cases of an extremely rare type of blood clot were reported in people who had received the vaccine. The pause allowed time for experts to review the data and help make providers and patients aware of the risk. The data showed that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh the very small risk. This announcement is good news for Minnesotans and underscores the importance that is placed on vaccine safety. Providers can begin using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine again once they have reviewed the updated FDA fact sheet for providers and are prepared to provide the updated fact sheet for patients. We continue to encourage people to get whatever vaccine is available to them. Statement on CDC panel vote to lift pause on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine CDC: FDA and CDC Lift Recommended Pause on Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine Use Following Thorough Safety Review COVID-19 Stories of Community Outreach and Partnership COVID-19 Stories of Community Outreach and Partnership highlight the efforts of our staff in collaboration with community partners during the COVID-19 response. Some stories provide insight into how this work is done, others discuss what challenges our teams face, but all of them recognize how COVID-19 has pushed MDH to try new strategies so we can fulfill our mission of protecting, maintaining, and improving the health of all Minnesotans. Rushing toward a crisis: How one community organization's ability to pivot was crucial in responding to COVID-19 The Native American Community Clinic (NACC) on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis provides a full range of health care services, with a dedication to address health disparities within the urban Native American community of the Twin Cities. Between July and December 2020, the clinic tested more than 1,108 members of the transient and homeless community for COVID-19. These community members may not have had access to testing without the tailored outreach they received. Recently, NACC has been busy providing COVID-19 vaccinations to its communities. It is particularly well-positioned to vaccinate in group homes, shelters, and homeless communities. By combining cultural wisdom, strong relationships, and a proactive approach, the clinic continues to be a trusted resource in its community for testing and vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more: Rushing toward a crisis: How one community organization's ability to pivot was crucial in responding to COVID-19. Guidance and Resources UPDATED: Protect Yourself & Others Safer Celebrations during COVID-19: Holidays and Other Gatherings COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Stories of Community Outreach and Partnership COVID-19 Community Engagement Webinars COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 Test Reporting Requirements COVID-19 Organized Sports Practice and Games Guidance for Youth and Adults (PDF) COVID-19 Intercollegiate Sports Guidance for Higher Education (PDF) COVID-19 Prevention and Management in Licensed Group Homes (PDF) Ethical Framework for Allocation of Monoclonal Antibodies during the COVID-19 Pandemic (PDF) COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Grid for Congregate Care Settings (PDF) COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Grid for Home-care and Hospice Settings (PDF) NOTE: As new Executive Orders and recommendations are issued, we will review and update the guidance and resources on our website accordingly. Look for an "Updated" date below guidance links to know when the resource was last revised. MDH COVID-19 Public Hotline For questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, call: 1-833-431-2053 Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Minnesota Department of Health  |  health.mn.gov Manage Preferences  |  Unsubscribe  |  Help

You can update or cancel your subscription at any time by editing your personal profile. All you will need are your email address and your password (if you have selected one).

P.S. If you have any questions or problems please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com for assistance. 

STAY CONNECTED:
	MDH on Twitter			MDH on Facebook			MDH on LinkedIn

---

This email was sent to ooseims.archieves@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota Department of Health · 625 Robert Street North · St. Paul MN 55155 · 651-201-5000