In "Decision close on next priority groups" (front page, Feb. 24), Gov. Tim Walz said, "There's 65-year-olds that are healthy and are simply not standing in line yet." And: "We want them to get it, but we can't hold up giving it to others while we are waiting for somebody to decide whether they're going to take it."
I've got news for Gov. Walz: My wife and I, 66 and 67, want to get the vaccine, but we can't find a line to stand in. We've been trying for weeks with no luck. Using the state's vaccine locations website we can't find any site taking appointments. And our health care clinic is only taking appointments for people age 75 and older.
Please find us a line to stand in, and we will gladly take a spot.
Michael Prieve, Lino Lakes
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Wednesday's top front-page story informed us of the good news that COVID drugmakers told Congress to expect a big increase in vaccine doses in the coming month ("Vaccine makers vow supply surge"). By the end of March, Pfizer and Moderna said that they expect to have supplied 220 million doses, up from the 75 million so far. The article next to this headline talked about Gov. Walz and the Minnesota Department of Health's plan to expand coverage to people under age 65 with underlying health conditions and workers in essential service jobs. With greatly increased doses coming in about five weeks, this seems prudent. State Senate Republican leadership's criticism of such a plan seems unwarranted. Sen. Karin Housley doesn't see a need for a plan to expand to other groups until we get seniors vaccinated first. Getting seniors vaccinated first is the plan. Around 42% of us senior citizens so far have received at least one dose, and it's increasing each day. A couple of weeks ago, I knew of no one who was vaccinated. That has changed quickly. So, thanks, guv and MDH, for thinking about something so novel as a plan.
Gregory Sater, Shoreview
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So far I have seen the COVID shot being administered at locations run by the state, the county, local health providers, drugstores and grocery stores, among others. I do not wish to second-guess the approach to delivering the shot to the public. I hope and assume that due consideration is being given to the capacities of the facilities to accomplish the task, along with case mapping and dose availability as the driving forces in the decisionmaking process.
With that statement out of the way, let's get into my beef. I was fortunate to be one of the shot lottery winners about a month ago and will receive my second dose next week. I am thankful that I was that fortunate. My wife is slightly older than I am and has poorer health. She has, so far, not been picked in the lottery. I also go through the ritual of checking each of the avenues in the system to find her a shot. So far I have not managed to be in the right place at the right time.
At this time, since she has not received the shot, we are not able to make any changes to our lives yet. Her, for the obvious reasons. Me, because even though I am 95% protected, I can still carry it back to her. Gradually more of our friends are joining us with that situation — an over-65, two-person household, one with the shot and one without.
Why does this matter? If both people in the over-65 household had the shot, it would free us up to get out there and start spending money again. Get back to shopping for the grandkids, restaurants, travel, help at church or charities. Get our money flowing again. Remember the high percentage of wealth the over-65s control! Possibly even some decrease in the COVID unemployment could happen — there are some of us who need to, or sometimes like to, work part time.