This week Governor Walz released the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector. Input your information into the webpage and they will contact you when it’s your turn to get the vaccine. Minnesotans who already registered for an appointment through the pilot program or the community vaccination program do not need to resubmit their information for the Vaccine Connector. If you are 65+ you are still encouraged to use the Vaccine Locator map to find and make an appointment to receive the vaccine through the listed providers, or you can contact your regular provider directly.
Currently, vaccine eligibility is still limited to Minnesotans 65+, health care workers, long-term care residents, childcare, and K-12 personnel. As long as you are over the age of 18, you can sign up for the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector and you will be notified once it is your turn to receive the shot.
Since last week’s COVID-19 update there have been a few new developments. Minnesota recently surpassed 1 million vaccinations — over 11% of Minnesotans have now been vaccinated. We have all been eager to receive a vaccine as soon as possible, and there are reasons to be optimistic that distribution will continue to expand.
According to data reported as of February 16th, the total vaccine doses administered in the state of Minnesota is 974,427. The speed of vaccination is picking up to approximately 100,000 people each week, and there have been a series of online tools that make it easier for eligible individuals to schedule appointments and access the latest news on COVID-19 information.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Connector Tool
Minnesota has just launched a new tool to make reliable vaccine updates and COVID-19 related information reach you faster. The COVID-19 Vaccine Connectorwill help Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine.
When you become eligible, the Vaccine Connector will:
This edition is devoted to providing practical information about Covid-19 testing and vaccination. Legislators are receiving periodic briefings from the Minnesota Department of Health and I have been spending quite a bit of time trying to obtain vaccinations for my own vulnerable loved ones (so far, unsuccessfully). I’ve picked up a lot of useful information in the process, and I’d like to pass it along.
COVID-19 Testing
Saliva Covid-19 Testing is available at Creekside Community Center in Bloomington this week and next:
Creekside Community Center 9801 Penn Ave South Bloomington, MN 55431 February 16-20, 22-26 12 – 6 p.m. Visit this site to schedule an appointment: mncovidtestingappt.as.me
Edina Public School Students grades K-5 are now back to in-person learning and I am hearing reports things are going well (and that several teachers have been able to access their first vaccines)! Welcome back to our teachers and students!
COVID-19 trends in Minnesota are headed in the right direction, with case numbers and positivity rates heading downward. The vaccination process also continues to improve, with distribution efficiency increasing, and the federal government increasing the supply of doses.
It’s likely there will be changes in Minnesota and nationwide in the coming weeks and months to improve vaccine distribution.
Last week, my bills related to Healthcare Pricing Transparency surmounted their first hurdle when all three were passed by the Commerce Committee and referred to the Health Finance and Policy Committee for their consideration. Healthcare is the only thing that we buy where we’re not told the price until after the service is rendered. If my bills pass, you’ll be able to compare the prices charged by different providers for, say, a hip replacement, a lasik eye surgery or an expensive drug infusion, at a one-stop shopping website provided by the Minnesota Department of Health so that you can to build that information into your decision about where to have the procedure performed. The bills are numbered HF 57, 58 and 59.
I’ve been invited to address the members of the Minnesota Medical Association at their annual legislative luncheon on Wednesday (via Zoom, of course) to discuss these and other healthcare information issues with them.
Virtual Town Hall
Join Rep. Edelson, Sen. Franzen and I for our first town hall of the 2021 Legislative Session, tomorrow, Tuesday, February 9 at 7-8:30pm. Please RSVP, and submit a question to be asked during the event. We will send out the Zoom link later today. You can join on Zoom or watch it on Facebook live. We look forward to your engagement (and we apologize for last week’s mixup about the date).
We are at the end of the fifth week of our legislative session. As a reminder if you want to watch what is happening at the Minnesota Senate committee hearings and floor sessions online.
I started this week with a press conference where we introduced the Minnesota adult-use cannabis bill. Fifteen states and Washington D.C. have passed adult-use cannabis, and Minnesota should be the next. Two years ago, I introduced a bill outlining the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Minnesota, and I remain committed to these efforts. We have seen racial disparities in our criminal justice system for minor cannabis offenses, which have rippling effects in our communities. Our neighbors in South Dakota voted for adult-use cannabis, and North Dakota will likely hear legislation regarding it. Minnesota needs to progress forward and join these other states. I am the lead author on this bill, and I look forward to having many discussions about this bill and moving Minnesota forward.
I want to extend an invitation to you for a conversation in coordination with the League of Women Voters of Edina and LWV of Bloomington.
Join us for the first town hall of the 2021 Legislative Session in District 49. Please RSVP at the link here, and submit a question to be asked during the event. We will send out the Zoom link the day before. You can join on Zoom or watch it on my Facebook page live-streamed.
I am excited and looking forward to your engagement.
Select Committee on Racial Justice Final Report
This month, in honor of Black History Month, I want to invite you to read the final report released on Racial Justice.
Over the interim, the House Committee on Racial Justice examined how racism pervades Minnesota’s laws and institutions. This committee wrote a report of their findings to guide House members and me as we write bills.
In addition to taking measures to reform free and fair elections, the Minnesota House of Representative joined together and passed House Resolution 1, a resolution condemning violence and violent rhetoric directed at the United States Capitol and state capitols, and affirming support for democracy, rule of law, and the certified results of our election. The resolution passed on a vote of 111-8.
Now is the time to stand up to rhetoric that threatens the stability of our democracy and casts baseless doubt on the legitimacy of our free and fair elections.
Sober Homes And Consumer Protections
I had my first bill hearing this morning in the Behavioral Health Policy Committee to conduct a study of Sober Homes and add consumer protections. The bill is co-authered by Rep. Koegal and Rep. Hassan.
You can watch the full-clip of the Behavioral Health Policy Committee hearing here.
Join Rep. Edelson, Sen. Franzen and I in coordination with the League of Women Voters of Edina and LWV of Bloomington for our first town hall of the 2021 Legislative Session Tuesday, February 9 at 7-8:30pm. Please RSVP, and submit a question to be asked during the event. We will send out the Zoom link the day before. You can join on Zoom or watch it on Facebook live. We look forward to your engagement.
