REGIONAL- No new registrations for COVID vaccinations at the state's nine pilot community vaccination clinics will be taken this week, as state officials announced Monday a transition to working with local health providers to distribute vaccines to those 65 and older.

More than 220,000 Minnesotans 65 and older have already registered and are eligible for this week’s random selections for one of 6,000 vaccinations to be administered at the pilots this week. Those selected for appointments will be notified on Wednesday.

With the overwhelming backlog from two weeks of online and call-in registrations, officials decided to stop taking new registrations for the time being, although the system could be reactivated at a future date.

Anyone who received their first dose of vaccine at the Mt. Iron site or other pilot sites already has a second appointment scheduled and will receive their second doses at those sites.

However, additional vaccine is being distributed this week to more than 100 hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers as the state shifts its strategy to make more than 35,000 doses available to seniors this week. 

An 11,000-dose increase of the state’s weekly allotment from the federal government coupled with a growing number of people who have completed their two-shot vaccination series has made more vaccine available for initial appointments, officials said. Unused doses that the federal pharmacy-driven vaccination program, involving Walgreens, CVS, and Thrifty White, won’t be using this week also will be reallocated for community-based distribution. Health officials reinforced that while this is a positive development, the supply of vaccine remains far short of meeting demand.

A new online map of vaccine providers shows where this week’s allotments of vaccine are being distributed, and provides a search function. The map can be accessed at https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/locations/index.jsp.

Ely Essentia Health is among the sites listed. To find out more about how to access COVID vaccinations, visit their COVID-19 vaccine information webpage at www.essentiahealth.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine-information/.

This week’s edition of the Timberjay will include a complete story on the state’s revised vaccination approach and other COVID-19 news.