When asked about what the arrival of a third vaccine means for business and event restrictions, the governor responded that it “appears to me that the brass ring is pretty grabbable for the State Fair” and suggested the state could allow for people to plan for June weddings. With the state’s death rates per 100,000 people dropping to 35th in the nation and hospitalization numbers the lowest they have been in 10 months, the governor said “those events that are further out, certainly June and beyond, those look pretty, pretty promising.”
First Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Doses Arrive in Minnesota
Today Governor Walz announced that the first Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses have arrived in Minnesota and met one of the first shipments to arrive in the state. Minnesota will receive 45,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week. Immunizations will begin shortly after doses arrive to Minnesota providers.
“This is an exciting development. We now have three vaccines available that are safe and highly effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death,” said Governor Walz. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine will help our state quickly provide immunity and get us one step closer to ending this pandemic. We know we need broad community protection before we can get back to the normal, enjoyable parts of life we have missed, and the way we get there is by getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. Everyone who has the opportunity to get this shot should take it.”
Minnesota is already a national leader in getting shots into arms. As of Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control ranks Minnesota third among states for the percentage of doses received that have been administered.
Minnesota providers have administered more than 1.4 million doses to almost 930,000 Minnesotans. More than 54% of Minnesotans 65 and older and 56% of K-12 educators and child care workers have gotten at least their first dose.
“The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is an excellent option for Minnesotans. In clinical trials, it was highly effective in preventing serious illness and completely effective in preventing hospitalizations and death due to COVID-19,” said Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “Minnesotans should be confident that every authorized vaccine is safe and effective, and we encourage everyone to get whatever COVID-19 vaccine is available to them.”
Minnesota Ranks First in the Nation for Children Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
A recently published study from Save the Children finds that over the last four months of 2020, Minnesota consistently ranked first in the nation for children amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Using four months of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, the Save the Children’s COVID Child Protection Ranking identifies where children have been most and least protected during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that Minnesota has continually ranked first in protecting children from hunger, learning loss, and financial stress.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of Minnesotans across the state, but it has hit our working families and their children the hardest,” said Governor Tim Walz. “While we are proud that in this report Minnesota has consistently ranked first in the nation for families during the pandemic, we have work to do. We know that Minnesota children still face unacceptably high disparities in race and income. Our children are our future, and we must continue to invest in their success to emerge from this crisis stronger than before.”
“There is no more important investment than in our children,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “Supporting our littlest Minnesotans and their families with a focus on equity has been foundational to our COVID-19 response and remains our top priority.”
Recognizing the realities iterated in the report that lower income and BIPOC families have been hit hardest by the pandemic, the Walz-Flanagan Administration has provided state and federal resources to increase student access to technology and summer school; support the mental health needs of children, youth, and families; provide resources for Minnesotans struggling to afford nutritious food for themselves and their families; provide financial support and flexibility to child care providers; prioritize testing and vaccine access for child care programs and educators; and help working families experiencing financial losses due to COVID-19. Additionally, Minnesota’s COVID-19 Recovery Budget prioritizes working families and students, confronting the challenges Minnesota children and families face today while investing in the future.
According to Save the Children’s study, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a bi-weekly Household Pulse Survey to understand the social and economic effects of COVID. Save the Children analyzed this data, focusing on households with children under the age of 18, or families. To access the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, the COVID Child Protection Ranking uses three indicators: food scarcity, lack of access to tools for remote learning, and difficulty paying for household expenses. Save the Children assessed where children have been most and least protected during COVID-19 to illustrate how disparate the effects of COVID-19 have been on families. They also evaluated how racial and income inequality impacts families nationally and within each state.
Amos A. Briggs | Government Relations
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