Information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency:

Minnesota is currently vaccinating frontline health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities against COVID-19 (known as phase 1a of the vaccine rollout) and anticipates that phase of vaccinations to take through the end of January 2021. In the meantime, the state is asking a COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Advisory Group to help figure out how to fairly and equitably distribute the next doses of COVID-19 vaccine to:

  • Frontline essential workers and people age 75 years and older (referred to as “phase 1b”), and after that to
  • People age 65-74 years, people age 16-64 years with high-risk medical conditions, and other essential workers (referred to as “phase 1c”).

According to federal guidance, the “other essential workers” referenced in phase 1c would cover: workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, public safety (e.g., engineers), and public health workers.

The advisory group is made up of statewide representatives of leading care providers; bioethicists; state, local, and tribal public health representatives; health care associations; and people representing diverse community groups. The group is is scheduled to meet Jan. 11 to discuss the vaccination of the second priority group.

The advisory group provided input for how to distribute the very first vaccine doses that are going to health care workers and long-term care residents. That input can be found in Minnesota Guidance for Allocating and Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccine – Phase 1a on COVID-19 Vaccine Phases and Planning.

“The size of these phases requires a coordinated effort to ensure we are getting the necessary information to key stakeholders, as well as identifying and quickly addressing potential areas of frustration and confusion among sectors,” says Katrina Kessler, MPCA assistant commissioner for Water Policy and Agriculture. “Additional details regarding the timing of the rollout for phases 1b and 1c will be shared when it becomes available.”

More information about the Vaccine Advisory Group can be found at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) website.