Delores Saethre smiles broadly as Mary Edson gives her a vaccination that will help protect her from getting COVID-19. Standing behind Delores is her daughter, Lavona Czaplicki, who is an Essential Caregiver at the care center. Photo courtesy of Kimber Wraalstad
Tuesday, December 29, was another exciting day at North Shore Health. “We began vaccinating the Care Center Residents,” exclaimed North Shore Health Administrator/CEO Kimber Wraalstad.
That was good news for many of us who know residents in the care center. Up to now, no one living in the care center has been afflicted with COVID-19.
“Mary Edson, one of our LPNs and Amy James, Resident Care Manager, teamed up and vaccinated 22 residents. The remaining residents will be vaccinated on Thursday, December 31.
“Why did we split them up? Wraalstad asked rhetorically. “Because we need to monitor the residents for side-effects for 48 hours and this would allow for the monitoring without overwhelming the employees.”
MDH seeking public input
As more vaccinations become available, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is seeking Minnesotans’ feedback on how to continue progress toward the goal of distributing the initial supply of COVID-19 vaccine with the aim of saving as many lives as possible and ending the pandemic as quickly as possible.
The limited initial supply of COVID-19 vaccine means there is not enough for everyone who needs it. The state must therefore determine a process that ensures fair, equitable, and effective distribution of the vaccine.
As Minnesota health officials work with a wide range of partners to distribute the first small shipments of COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers and long-term care residents and staff (in “Phase 1a” of vaccine distribution), they continue planning for the larger shipments of vaccine expected in the coming weeks and months.
Minnesota is following federal recommendations to start vaccine distribution with the people who are most likely to get COVID- 19 and those most at risk of serious complications, but the state is seeking feedback from the public about part of this process to the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Advisory Group.
The advisory group includes health care experts from across the state that review guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) about who should get the vaccine first, and make detailed recommendations for how to apply the guidelines in Minnesota to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
Minnesotans may provide feedback about how to implement ACIP’s guidelines in Minnesota through the MDH website: Minnesota COVID- 19 Vaccine Allocation Advisory Group.
Ultimately, Governor Walz makes the final decisions about COVID-19 vaccine distribution. But those decisions are based on advice from public health experts at MDH and the Vaccine Allocation Advisory Group, whose advice will be informed by public feedback.
About COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution in Minnesota:
The process for distributing the vaccine is complex and is led by the federal government. To get the vaccine to Minnesotans, there are specific roles for various partners:
The federal government is responsible for regulating vaccine development and approving those that are safe and effective. It also works with vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer and Moderna to procure vaccines, and it tells states how much vaccine they get and when. The federal government then ships the vaccine to states.
The State of Minnesota works with hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, tribal health, local public health, and other vaccination partners to get the vaccine out to Minnesotans.
Earlier this month, Governor Walz described for Minnesotans the three principles guiding distribution of the vaccine in Minnesota. These include:
* Immunize for impact: Maximize immediate health benefit, reduce death, and minimize the harm created by COVID- 19 by starting with those most susceptible to serious complications and those who care for them.
* Equitable distribution and access: Make sure no procedural or structural issues impact access to the vaccine among any particular group or population. And help ensure Minnesotans in every corner and every community know they can trust the process, the safety, and the effectiveness of the vaccine.
* Transparency: Share information as quickly as possible with Minnesotans.
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