On vaccine, above average just won't do

Vermont, Hawaii and Massachusetts have long been public health superstars. So it wasn't surprising to see this trio beat Minnesota across a critical threshold — 70% of adults having at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

But there's long list of other states that have already achieved this as well. Minnesota has long been considered public health powerhouse. Yet while we're hovering at 69%, 16 states, plus Guam and the District of Columbia, have surpassed the national 70% target.

To be clear, Minnesota isn't in a bad place for vaccinations, with more than 3 million people having received one vaccine dose. But a state that's home to world-class medical centers and public health expertise shouldn't be content with above-average performance. We should be near the front of the pack.

State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm acknowledges that expectation and notes that public health professionals under her direction share that competitive instinct. "This is something Minnesota should be a leader on,'' she said in an interview with an editorial writer on Monday. "We're gonna keep at it until we get there.''

New strategies are needed to improve vaccine batting average in Minnesota and elsewhere.

Earlier this year, the Biden administration set a goal of hitting 70% by July 4. Nationally, about 65% of Americans 18 and up have had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. That national average looks promising but obscures the wide variation among states. Vermont, Hawaii and Massachusetts are at 84%, 82% and 81%, respectively. Shockingly, four states — Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Wyoming — are below 50%.

There's also variation within Minnesota, according to the state Department of Health's vaccine tracker. Hennepin County is at nearly 77% of those 16 and up with at least one dose. Most of the big metro counties have crossed the 70% mark, too.

So what worked in Cook County? Grace Grinager, its public health supervisor, credits exemplary teamwork between the area's public health professionals, its medical providers and business and community leaders to highlight the vaccine's importance and ensure access.

"It feels like we've never stopped talking. We're not just trying not get our voice out there we're trying to be proactive," Grinager said.

If there's a secret to Cook County's success, it might well be the local voices involved. When there's so much disinformation about COVID on social media, familiar voices remain trustworthy.

That's why a recent move by Gov. Tim Walz to enlist "vaccine ambassadors" is commendable. Ambassadors range from Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer to homegrown basketball phenomenon Lindsay Whalen.

Other leaders need to step up, too. Republican House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt merits praise for doing so recently. At a political conference, a medical organization asked him to share his vaccine story and he did, with the video now appearing in pop-up ads online.