County opens vaccinations up to everyone 16 and older

Cook County Emergency Operations Center and Sawtooth Mountain Clinic announced this week that following the governor’s lead, vaccination events would now be open for anyone 16 and older.

Two vaccination events were held in Cook County this Thursday. A total of 400 first doses and 100 second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were distributed at North Shore Health, where the Pfizer- BioNTech vaccine was offered to anyone ages 16 years or older. The Cook County Community Center was the site for the Moderna vaccine, which was offered to anyone 18 years or older.

Anyone under the age of 18 that wants to be vaccinated will need parental consent and should have a parent or guardian present with them during the vaccination appointment.

Both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines offer a high level of protection from COVID-19 and each has received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA authorized Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for individuals 16 and older, and Moderna for those 18 and older. For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit the Center for Disease Control’s website.

Registration is required for both of this week’s events as well as all future vaccine events. Visit the Cook County COVID- 19 hub site at www.cookcountycovid19.org for more information and a link to complete the online registration. To register, individuals will need to complete a pre-registration survey and provide: name, address, phone number, date of birth, and a valid email address.

Although eligibility criteria have expanded, COVID-19 vaccine providers will continue to prioritize Minnesotans 65 years of age or older, health care personnel, long-term care residents pre-k to 12th-grade educators and child care personnel, people with specific underlying health conditions, sickle cell disease, Down Syndrome, or oxygen-dependent chronic lung or heart conditions, and those who are inactive due to cancer treatment or immunocompromised from an organ transplant, and targeted essential workers and more.

Contact: Grace Grainger, 218-387- 3605 or grace.grinager@co.cook.mn.us

Or Sawtooth Mountain Clinic Vaccination Navigator: 218-877-8273 or covid-19hotline@co.cook.mn.us