Fairgrounds Become Huge Vaccination Site
Beginning April 14, the Minnesota Department of Health intends to administer 3,000 coronavirus vaccines a day, 7 days a week, through June 9 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Vaccines will be given in the State Fair parking lots south of Como Ave.
The vaccines will be free to anyone age 16 or older who lives in one of 38 designated ZIP codes in the Twin Cities. If you live in one of the eligible ZIP codes, including 55103 and 55117, you can sign up for a vaccine appointment:
- Through the state’s Vaccine Connector website.
- By calling 1-833-431-2053 weekdays 9 a.m.-7 p.m. or Saturdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Eligible residents will be selected randomly for an appointment. They will receive a Metro Transit pass as part of their registrations.
Paradoxically, residents who live in ZIP code 55108 – which includes the Fairgrounds and neighborhoods next to it – are not eligible through this vaccine program. That’s because this vaccine supply, which comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is focused on communities that have a high social vulnerability index. The index is one way the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is identifying traditionally underserved residents.
The vulnerability index measures socioeconomic factors including income, poverty and employment levels, housing conditions, household composition, racial and language characteristics, and access to transportation. As part of the equity emphasis, additional vaccine doses will be administered through community health clinics in neighborhoods with a high vulnerability index.
If you live in 55108, or want to get a vaccine somewhere other than at the Fairgrounds:
- Use the state’s Vaccine Locator, which is a searchable map and database that identifies pharmacies, clinics, and other vaccine providers.
- Contact your health-care provider or employer.
- Sign up for the state’s Vaccine Connector.
Meanwhile, new cases of Covid-19 are rising again. if you think you’ve been exposed:
- Order a free saliva test for Covid-19, which you can administer at home.
- Get tested nearby – or anywhere in the state. Free saliva testing is available at Roy Wilkins Auditorium; enter at 175 Kellogg Blvd. The site is open seven days a week: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends. Register in advance