COVID-19 vaccine newsletter – March 9, 2021

What’s new?

New guidance from the CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance on March 8, 2021 for fully vaccinated people. The new guidance relaxes some of the precautions that have been in place for nearly a year.

Now, people who are fully vaccinated can gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing masks or physical distancing. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after they have received the second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines (or two weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine).

According to the new guidance, fully vaccinated people can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic.

Even if fully vaccinated, everyone should continue to:

• Take precautions in public like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing.
• Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease.
• Wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households.
• Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings.
• Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
• Follow guidance issued by individual employers.
• Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations.

Expanding vaccine eligibility in Minnesota

The following information comes from a press release from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s office.

Today, Governor Tim Walz announced that Minnesota is expanding vaccine eligibility as the state reaches its goal of vaccinating 70% of Minnesotans 65 years of age and older this week. The announcement comes several weeks ahead of schedule after the state moved quickly to use more vaccine from the federal government.

As a result, the state will expand eligibility to the next two phases of Minnesotans at once which includes Minnesotans with specific underlying health conditions; food processing plant workers; and Minnesotans with rare conditions or disabilities that put them at higher risk of severe illness. This expansion to Phase 1b Tier 2 and 3 means more than 1.8 million Minnesotans will become eligible to receive a vaccine when available.

Phase 1b Tier 2 populations include:

• Minnesotans with specific underlying health conditions: Sickle cell disease, Down syndrome, those in cancer treatment or immunocompromised from organ transplant, oxygen-dependent chronic lung and heart conditions (COPD & CHF).
• Targeted essential workers: Food processing plant workers.
• Minnesotans with rare conditions or disabilities that put them at higher risk of severe illness.

Phase 1b Tier 3 populations include:

• Minnesotans age 45 years and older with one or more underlying medical conditions identified by the CDC.
• Minnesotans age 16 years and older with two or more underlying medical conditions.
• Minnesotans age 50 years and older in multi-generational housing.
• Essential frontline workers: Agricultural, airport staff, additional child care workers not previously eligible, correctional settings, first responders, food production, food retail, food service, judicial system workers, manufacturing, public health workers, public transit, and U.S. Postal Service workers.

As with all decisions throughout this pandemic, Minnesota health officials are guided by science, medical evidence, and federal guidelines.

Vaccine status updates

Olmsted County Public Health Services (OCPHS)

Progress is being made as a community with 31.2% of the total Olmsted County population having received at least one dose of vaccine and 22.7% completing the two-dose series. Olmsted County is in the top five counties in the state with the highest vaccination percentage.

All E-12 school staff working in Olmsted County have now been offered their first dose. This is welcome news and helps get our schools open for in-person learning safely.

Good progress is being made with adults 65 and older with 74% of county residents having received at least one dose through their medical provider, pharmacy, or one of the state-run clinics. With individuals ages 50-64, 31% have received at least one dose.

We are now planning to expand vaccinations to Phase 1b tier 2 and 3 and should begin vaccinating the first groups in that phase next week.

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is currently vaccinating eligible populations age 65 and older as defined by the Minnesota Department of Health, who have a primary care provider at Mayo Clinic, have been seen at Mayo within the past two years, and reside in Minnesota (including Minnesota residents seen at Iowa and Wisconsin clinics).

Patients who have received specialty care at Mayo Clinic within the past two years and reside in one of the 20 southern Minnesota counties below can also receive their vaccine at Mayo Clinic.

The southern Minnesota counties include: Blue Earth, Brown, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Le Sueur, Martin, Mower, Nicollet, Olmsted, Rice, Scott, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan, and Winona counties.

Patients who meet these criteria will receive a phone call, an invitation via Patient Online Services, or a letter to schedule an appointment to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Patients who do not have a Patient Online Services account can visit onlineservices.mayoclinic.org or call Mayo Clinic Customer Assistance at 877-858-0398 to establish one.

Patients who do not get care at Mayo Clinic can also be vaccinated at Mayo Clinic by completing this form. For additional information, please visit the Mayo Clinic COVID-19 vaccination for Minnesota residents website.

Olmsted Medical Center (OMC)

OMC is committed to providing the COVID-19 vaccination to its patients and will reach out to patients as they become eligible. OMC will continue to use a randomized process, as vaccine is available and will vaccinate patients as fast as possible based on the amount of vaccine received.

This week, based on the Governor’s recommendations, OMC will be expanding vaccine eligibility to a new group of individuals. In addition to individuals 65+, this will include:

• People with specific underlying health conditions (age 16+):
  • Sickle cell disease, Down syndrome, those in cancer treatment or immunocompromised from organ transplant, oxygen-dependent Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), and oxygen-dependent Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

When OMC moves through this group, it will offer vaccine to patients as defined by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) based on age and risk factor. Vaccinations will also be determined based on availability and amount of vaccine received.

OMC does not have a timeframe for when the next groups will start.

Education / Information

Who can get vaccinated?

While we are needing to prioritize who gets vaccinated right now, everyone 16 years and older can get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to them. This includes people with medical conditions, those who have had COVID-19, and those of different ages, races, and ethnicities.

The vaccine is safe for most people, but if you have a unique health condition, you should talk to your doctor before getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Minnesota has a plan to give the first, limited doses of vaccine to those who are at highest risk of contracting COVID-19 and/or at risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. There are multiple places and opportunities to get vaccinated – through your health care provider, employer, local pharmacy, or state vaccination clinics. We encourage you to take the first opportunity to get vaccinated that becomes available to you.

The vaccine does not have preservatives, pork products or gelatin, and does not contain the COVID-19 live virus.

Why should you get vaccinated?

The vaccine protects you from COVID-19 and helps keep businesses, schools, and other places open. This supports your community and helps all of us return to doing what we love. The vaccine is voluntary; no can force you to get it. The vaccine is free for everyone -- insurance and immigration status does not matter. The more people we have vaccinated, the quicker we can reach herd immunity and put an end to the pandemic.