Senate Republicans Call For Seniors To Be Vaccinated Before Other Priority Groups

By Rilyn Eischens, the Minnesota Reformer

February 1, 2021

Minnesota Senate Republicans on Monday criticized Democratic-Farmer-Labor Gov. Tim Walz’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, calling for senior citizens to be vaccinated ahead of all other priority groups.

“I am absolutely terrified that we will allow younger, healthier workers across the state to get the vaccine before protecting all of the vulnerable seniors in Minnesota,” said Sen. Karin Housley, chair of the Chair of Aging and Long Term Care Committee. “I am begging the governor. Seniors must be what we solely focus on when it comes to this vaccine rollout.”

Housley also criticized Walz’s administration for not making vaccines available at health clinics, which are more accessible; Walz announced Monday that the state would do exactly that.

When Minnesota began its vaccination program in December, vaccines were only available to frontline health care workers and nursing home residents. Those groups are still being prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines, but people over 65, teachers and child care workers are also eligible under a pilot program launched in mid-January.

Walz announced Monday that more than 100 hospitals and clinics around the state will begin vaccinating people 65 and up. Previously, seniors could only be vaccinated at nine sites across Minnesota. The state is reducing the number of mass vaccination sites, with the goal of freeing up more doses to send to providers.

Housley said fewer pilot sites means seniors are “losing out.”

State officials say extremely limited vaccine supply and confusing federal directives have complicated the rollout. Minnesota made seniors eligible for vaccines in mid-January in response to a sudden change in federal guidance, but the federal government did not increase vaccine allocation with the updated recommendations.

Minnesota has received roughly 60-65,000 doses of vaccine from the federal government per week, and demand has far outpaced supply. There are about 500,000 people in the first priority group — health care workers and nursing homes — and nearly 1 million seniors in Minnesota.

So far, more than 441,000 Minnesotans have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine — 8% of the state’s population — and 116,248 have received two doses. Of the people who have received at least one dose, 36% are over 65.

The Minnesota Reformer is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to keeping Minnesotans informed and unearthing stories other outlets can’t or won’t tell..