Just under 90,000 citizens of Washington County have accessed at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Now, 43% of county members aged 16 and up are either completely or partially protected from COVID-19. Additionally, about 83% of county members aged 65+ have had vaccines administered to them. All of this data is accurate as of April 6, 2021. A couple of weeks have passed since Governor Tim Walz let COVID-19 shots reach more than a few priority groups. Multiple tools, programs, and providers have been established by the Minnesotan government to link locals with their doses. Due to factors such as these, Cottage Grove will continue to witness an increase in the amount of vaccinated residents.

Beginning on Tuesday, March 30, all Minnesotans aged 16+ became eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Prior to this date, the state was closely following two phases of vaccine allocation outlined by the Minnesota Department of Health. The phases suggested that essential workers and citizens at high risk for severe illness should be permitted access to their doses early into distribution. Although immunization opportunities are now open to the general public in Minnesota, the recommendations of the MDH are not being dismissed in Washington County. “Minnesota has directed providers to prioritize appointments for people most at risk of getting COVID-19, or those who could develop severe illness if infected. Washington County will follow this guidance and continue to prioritize people in the groups that carry the highest risk,” the county states on their official website.

A newly eligible Minnesotan might wonder how they can retrieve their COVID-19 vaccine. The Journal has compiled a list of four actions that one may take to advance their search.

To begin with, people can connect with their primary health care provider or local pharmacy to survey the COVID-19 vaccination appointment availability in those settings.

Immunization opportunities may also surface within workplaces. People can request further information from their employer.

Thirdly, Washington County impels all unvaccinated citizens to interact with the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector. The tool was pieced together to educate participants on when, where, and how they may secure a COVID-19 vaccine. As one proceeds through the form, they will be required to reveal their demographic, medical history, and contact info. Once a Minnesotan submits a response, the Vaccine Connector will aid them throughout their vaccine journey. It will also enter participants into a pool of fellow Minnesotans for a chance to be randomly selected. Once chosen, they may book a COVID-19 immunization appointment through the Community Vaccination Program. Primary Bio, Vault Health and SpeciaLysts (Solv) are the organizations that are alerting the selected people. In a recent development, Oakdale, MN became home to the eighth site of the Community Vaccination Program. By typing“https://vaccineconnector. mn.gov” into any search engine, one can launch the Vaccine Connector for themselves.

One final way a Minnesotan aged 16 or older can gain their COVID-19 Vaccine is by utilizing the “Find Vaccine Locations” map. This tool allows users to observe where the state’s 845 different COVID-19 vaccine providers are situated. The pinpointed pharmacies, hospitals, and other facilities on this map are matching vaccines with Minnesotans by appointment alone. Each will adhere to their own agendas and tend to the priority groups of their choosing. Due to the fact that all suppliers within Minnesota’s borders vary, one will need to research each provider they are interested in. “Please contact providers to confirm vaccination location and hours, and that they have vaccine doses and appointments available. When possible, please make appointments through the provider’s website to reduce the number of phone calls to each location,” Minnesota recommends to users of the Find Vaccines Locations Map.

Three of the indicated providers on the map are situated in Cottage Grove, MN. Whether each facility distributes the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson is indefinite. They simply administer what the state ships to them.

Walmart on East Point Douglas Road is an adequate example of pharmacies prioritizing certain demographics. People over the age of 64 are eligible to land a COVID-19 vaccine appointment from Cottage Grove’s Walmart. A prior registration and screening is required for one to get vaccinated in this building. An online scheduling system, found on https://www.walmart.com/ cp/1228302, has been helping Walmart’s vaccination efforts. The company reveals more about their tool, “…Through this site individuals can schedule vaccination visits for eligible individuals based on their limited available vaccine supply.”

A short commute down East Point Douglas Road will lead one to a second COVID-19 Vaccine provider in Cottage Grove. HyVee is updating their schedule on a daily basis for eligible people to book an indoor appointment through. If a reader desires to gain a COVID-19 vaccine from HyVee, they can navigate to https://www.hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine .

Walgreens is the third supplier in Cottage Grove that is hosting indoor COVID-19 vaccination appointments. To become immunized by this pharmacy, an eligible person must first create a Walgreens account and submit an eligibility screening. This task can be done on https:// www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19?ban=covid_scheduler_brandstory_main_ March2021 . Once it is confirmed that a user is eligible in their state, Walgreens claims, “…we’ll look for available appointments in your area for your COVID-19 vaccination appointment.”

COVID-19 Vaccination eligibility has expanded immensely in the counties of Minnesota. Even so, both the unvaccinated and vaccinated citizens of Cottage Grove should continue modeling social distancing, wearing facial coverings, scrubbing their hands, and getting tested for COVID-19 as necessary. These measures remain “important” according to Minnesota’s government.