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<b>From:</b> Dan Ashman <dashman@blindinc.org> <br>
<b>Subject:</b> For Immediate Release Regarding COVID Pilot Vaccine
Signup<br><br>
<br><br>
Ryan,<br><br>
<br><br>
Please forward to the affiliate the Governor's press release below
detailing information of the registration process for this weekend's
upcoming vaccine pilot program targeting Minnesotans aged 65 and over. We
are excited to see that the enrollment process has migrated from a
first-come first-serve basis into that of a lottery with an extended
signup window. The pre-registration window will open tomorrow Tuesday,
January 26 at 5:00 AM, and last until Wednesday, January 27 at 5:00 AM.
For quick reference, individuals can pre-register at
<a href="http://mn.gov/findmyvaccine">mn.gov/findmyvaccine</a>, or call
833-431-2053 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January
26.<br><br>
<br><br>
Should an individual need assistance tomorrow, they can reach me at
<a href="mailto:dashman@blindinc.org">dashman@blindinc.org</a> or
612-547-9821. I will be available to work with individuals from 8:00 AM
to 2:00 PM, and 4:30 to 8:00 PM.<br><br>
<br><br>
Thank you,<br><br>
<br>
Daniel<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>From:</b> Governor Walz Press Office
<<a href="mailto:walz.press@state.mn.us">walz.press@state.mn.us</a>
><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, January 25, 2021 10:32 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Governor Walz Press Office
<<a href="mailto:walz.press@state.mn.us">walz.press@state.mn.us</a>
><br>
<b>Subject:</b> RELEASE: Governor Walz Directs Changes to Minnesota’s
Community Vaccination Efforts<br><br>
<br><br>
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<br>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<br><br>
January 25, 2021<br><br>
Contact: Teddy Tschann<br><br>
<a href="mailto:teddy.tschann@state.mn.us">teddy.tschann@state.mn.us</a>
<br><br>
651-402-8841<br><br>
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<br>
<div align="center">Governor Walz Directs Changes to Minnesota’s
Community Vaccination Efforts<br>
</div>
<br>
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</div>
<br>
<div align="center"><i>Adults 65 years of age and older will have
extended 24-hour window to pre-register for a randomized opportunity to
be selected for appointments at COVID-19 community vaccination
clinics<br>
</i></div>
<br>
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</div>
<br>
<div align="center"><i>Pilot clinics in Blaine and Brooklyn Center will
serve only adults 65 years of age and older this week<br>
</i></div>
<br>
<div align="center"> <br>
</div>
<br>
<div align="center"><i>Xcel Energy Center to host clinic for COVID-19
vaccination event for 15,000 educators, school staff, and child care
providers in metro<br>
</i></div>
<br>
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</div>
<br>
[ST. PAUL, MN] Governor Tim Walz today announced updates to the
state’s efforts to test the concept of COVID-19 community vaccination
clinics. Last week, more than 13,300 Minnesotans were vaccinated at nine
community clinics around the state. While the state continues to face a
crippling vaccine supply shortage, Governor Walz has directed the
state’s efforts toward preparing for the day supply meets
demand.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>“This is about having the infrastructure in place to be ready when
the federal government finally begins to send us more vaccine,”
</b>Governor Walz said. <b>“Every shot in the arm is another step
toward crushing COVID and ending this pandemic. And we're going to get
the vaccine we do have into arms quickly in Minnesota whether that’s
a few thousand doses or many more.”<br>
</b><br>
<br><br>
<b><u>Updates to Registration Process for Adults 65 Years of Age and
Older:<br>
</u></b><br>
<br><br>
Today the State of Minnesota announced updates to the registration
process for the second week of the COVID-19 vaccination pilot program.
The updated process accounts for anticipated high demand for appointments
online and at the call center and allows for more equitable and orderly
access to appointments by eliminating the first come, first served
system.<br><br>
<br><br>
Minnesotans age 65 and older will now have a 24-hour window of time
beginning at 5:00 am Tuesday to pre-register for a randomized opportunity
to get an appointment. Signing up for the pre-registration list means you
will have a chance to be randomly selected, so <b>you do not have to
register right away: it is not a first come, first serve system</b>.
<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>We strongly encourage pre-registering online at
<a href="http://mn.gov/findmyvaccine">mn.gov/findmyvaccine</a>. </b>The
website will be open for pre-registering from 5:00 a.m. Tuesday, January
26 until 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 27. If you are unable to
register online, you may call 833-431-2053 to sign up. The call center
will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26 for those
that are unable to use the website to register. <br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Due to high demand for vaccine appointments, we encourage Minnesotans
to make appointments online if at all possible</b> and if the call center
line is busy, try calling again later.<br><br>
<b>Everyone who is currently on the waitlist from the first week will be
automatically pre-registered to be randomly selected for an
appointment.<br>
</b><br>
<br><br>
Minnesotans can only sign up for the pre-registration list once. The
registration system will automatically remove duplicate entries and you
cannot transfer your appointment to someone else. If you are selected and
cannot use your appointment, another Minnesotan on the pre-registration
list will be randomly selected for that appointment.<br><br>
<br><br>
If you are randomly selected to receive a vaccine this week, you will be
notified on Wednesday, January 27 by text, email, or phone with
instructions on how to finalize your appointment. If you elect to receive
a phone call, please be certain to answer your phone as, due to time
constraints in filling appointments, reservationists will make two
contact attempts.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b>Appointments are required to receive a shot. Minnesotans without an
appointment should not visit a community vaccination pilot clinic.</b> No
walk-ins will be accepted, and anyone with the intention of walking in
for an appointment will be asked to leave and given information on how to
sign up for an appointment. Minnesotans who make an appointment should
arrive at their assigned pilot clinic no earlier than 15 minutes before
their appointment to ensure social distancing.<br><br>
<br><br>
Only about 8,000 doses of the vaccine will be available to Minnesotans
age 65 and over at the pilot community clinics this week. Demand will
outpace supply, and Minnesotans are encouraged to remain patient for
their shot as we wait for the federal government to provide more
vaccine.<br><br>
<br><br>
<b><u>Mass Vaccination Pilot Event for Educators, School Staff and Child
Care Providers:<br>
</u></b><br>
<br><br>
The State announced a mass vaccination pilot event for metro area
educators, school staff and child care providers at the Xcel Energy
Center this week. The state is allocating 15,000 Moderna vaccine doses to
be administered Thursday, January 28 through Monday, February 1 for this
event. <br><br>
<br><br>
To adjust for the opening of the new metro clinic, the two other pilot
clinics in the metro area will serve only adults 65 years of age and
older this week. In addition to the metro clinic, Greater Minnesota
clinics will also continue to serve education and child care workers this
week. <br><br>
<br><br>
These clinics are not open to walk ups. <b>School districts, charter
schools, tribal schools and nonpublic school organizations will work
directly with employees to secure an appointment through the
state-sponsored pilot clinics.</b> Child care programs are randomly
selected and will be notified if vaccines are available. Education and
child care workers who have questions should work with their
employer.<br><br>
<br><br>
Metro area educators, school staff and child care providers who received
their first dose at the Brooklyn Center clinic will return to that clinic
for their second dose. The Andover clinic has been moved to Blaine. Those
who received their first dose at the Andover clinic will receive a
notification that they will now receive their second dose at the new
clinic in Blaine. <br><br>
<br><br>
<b><u>Updates to Pilot Clinic Locations:<br>
</u></b><br>
<br><br>
The pilot clinic operating in Andover last week is relocating to Blaine
this week. The pilot clinics operating this week are located in Blaine,
Brooklyn Center, Fergus Falls, Mountain Iron, Thief River Falls, Sartell,
North Mankato, Rochester, Marshall and St. Paul. <br><br>
<br><br>
This week, pilot clinics in Blaine and Brooklyn Center will serve only
adults 65 years of age and older and the new pop-up clinic at Xcel Energy
Center will serve only educators, school staff, and child care providers
from the Twin Cities metro.<br><br>
<br><br>
-- <br><br>
<b>Daniel J. Ashman, CLVT<br>
</b><br>
<b>Employment Specialist<br>
</b><br>
<br><br>
<b>Phone:</b> (612) 872-0100 x 232<br><br>
<b>Fax: </b>(612) 872-9358<br><br>
<br><br>
Blindness: Learning in New Dimensions, Inc.<br><br>
100 East 22nd Street<br><br>
Minneapolis, MN 55404<br>
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