State officials are urging all eligible Minnesotans — and teenagers in particular — to get their COVID-19 vaccine before school starts in the fall.
Leaders from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Department of Education on Thursday announced the state's new campaign, called "Vax to School," to promote vaccinations as a way to keep students in classrooms. They stressed that students should act now if they want to reap the full benefit of vaccination before school activities and classes begin.
"The time is now to really increase our rates of vaccinations to make sure we can protect our in-person learning and protect our students and staff," said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm.
Children ages 12 and older are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, which comes in two doses given about three weeks apart. Full effectiveness comes about two weeks after the second dose. Those who are 18 and older can receive the Pfizer vaccine, the two-dose Moderna vaccine or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
About one-third of Minnesota's 12- to 15-year-olds are vaccinated, Malcolm said, and fewer than half of the state's 16- and 17-year-olds are.
Malcolm called that a "good start," but said it's "not nearly adequate to give the kind of protection we know is possible through vaccination."
St. Paul Public Schools' first day is Sept. 9 — about six weeks away. At the news conference, the school district's chief of staff Cedrick Baker encouraged students to seek vaccinations now, so they can be protected in time.
"Getting kids vaccinated is the best way to keep our students safe and healthy while they're at school," he said.
