Minnesota health officials hope for COVID-19 vaccine boost from FDA approval

State and health care officials hope that more Minnesotans will get a COVID-19 vaccination after federal regulators gave full approval to the Pfizer vaccine Monday.

Like other COVID-19 vaccines, the Pfizer shot had gotten the green light for emergency use in response to the crushing number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths caused by the virus.

After Pfizer submitted more data about safety and efficacy, the Food and Drug Administration granted the Pfizer doses the same type of approval that is given to most drugs that are prescribed.

A Kaiser Family Foundation survey showed that 30% of the unvaccinated were more likely to get the shot once the FDA gave full approval.

"We welcome today's announcement because we know full approval from FDA will give a boost of confidence to some who had not yet been vaccinated," said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm.

The FDA action should clear the way for more employers to mandate vaccination, said Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccine immunology specialist at Mayo Clinic, although it's less clear how it will affect individual decisions.

"This has been the most studied and scrutinized vaccine ever released, and yet people are hesitant because it hasn't been studied enough?" he asked. "It's a ruse for some people in their hesitancy or vaccine rejection — for others, the approval is meaningful and may well lead to vaccine acceptance."

Minnesota Community Care, a health care center that predominantly serves St. Paul but recently branched out to Farmington, said it will include the FDA's decision in the conversations it has with patients.

The lack of FDA approval has been just one of the concerns they hear from people, said Chris Singer, vice president of clinical operations and nursing for the organization.

"I am curious about how the final approval is going to — if it will convince more populations, especially those who have had vaccine hesitancy, to become vaccinated. I am not sure," Singer said.

She noted there also is historical trauma for some groups of people, including African Americans, around how vaccines have been given and tested in the past.

"I do think that it's an important step and it will address some of the concerns that have come out," she said.

Although 30% of Minnesota's vaccine-eligible population has not gotten a COVID-19 vaccination, the reasons vary widely.

For some, barriers stand in the way of making appointments, including transportation issues, a lack of sick time to schedule time off for the shot or possible side effects or child-care responsibilities.

Others don't trust the COVID-19 vaccine.

"We believe in just truth and transparency and we advocate for freedom of choice and we'll continue to do that regardless of whether this vaccine is FDA approved or not," said Patti Carroll of the Vaccine Safety Council of Minnesota, who said she's worried that the vaccine has been "really hastily approved."

Hesitancy to the COVID-19 vaccines has receded since they were first introduced.

In March, 19% of Minnesotans surveyed by the U.S. Census Bureau said they definitely or probably would not get the COVID-19 shot.

By early August, that had fallen to 8%, but most people gave more than one reason for resisting the shot: 45% said they were concerned about side effects and 44% said they didn't need the shot.

After peaking in April, the number of COVID-19 doses given in Minnesota has fallen monthly but has recently begun to rebound.

"We have seen an increase in the demand in the last month as case numbers have risen both in Minnesota and across the country," HealthPartners Senior Medical Director Dr. Mark Sannes said.

While it is unclear whether the FDA approval will make a significant difference, any improvement in the vaccination rate would help, Sannes said.

"If we can get even a third of those folks out there who were waiting now vaccinated that would be a big win," he said. "I think people are getting the message and also seeing what is happening around them."

A cash incentive from the state also has helped.

Minnesota's offer of a $100 Visa gift card ended on Sunday with 79,810 registering on a state website to claim the reward for getting a first COVID-19 vaccine dose.

The offer was most popular in some counties that lagged the statewide vaccination average, state officials said in a news release. As a result of the incentive and other programs, Minnesota is now averaging 4,955 daily first doses, up from 2,675 one month ago.

Even as vaccinations pick up, another 1,673 new COVID-19 infections were announced by state health officials Monday.

The testing positivity rate rose to 5.5%, while the per capita case growth rate stands at 20.8%, a number not seen since early May.

As of Friday, 514 Minnesotans were hospitalized with COVID-19 complications, a rise of 37 from the previous day.

The 138 patients in intensive care units for COVID-19, along with demands caused by other medical conditions, contributed to pressure on ICU bed availability, with 94% of beds occupied.

The FDA Pfizer vaccine approval could mean more access to those who are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, such as younger children who are vulnerable to COVID-19 complications.

Physicians have the option to use fully approved drugs in cases that they consider to be medically necessary but go beyond the recommended uses, something known as "off-label" prescriptions.

"It will be interesting to see if that happens," said Dr. David Boulware, a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Off-label use could come with some legal consequences, and many of Minnesota's large health care systems would probably discourage doctors from doing it, Boulware said.

Staff writer Christopher Snowbeck contributed to this report.

Glenn Howatt • 612-673-7192

Twitter: @GlennHowatt