Strategy
The Minnesota Department of Health utilized child-centric locations to host COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
Challenge
Minnesota experienced high demand for the COVID-19 vaccine after the vaccine was approved for children ages 5 to 11, which resulted in Minnesota providers ordering the maximum number of vaccine doses permitted by the federal government. Vaccine doses arrived in waves, opposed to all at once, prompting equitable distribution challenges.
Solution
A variety of vaccine clinic locations were utilized to administer the limited number of COVID-19 vaccines to the newly eligible population of children ages 5 to 11 equitably across the state. Non-traditional, child-centric locations helped expand access to more Minnesotan children. Vaccine clinic locations included the Mall of America in Bloomington, Brooklyn Center elementary schools in Minneapolis and Duluth, the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul, and the Southside Community Clinic in Minneapolis. Children frequent these locations outside of the context of the pandemic, promoting accessibility. The Mall of America vaccination clinic experienced such high demand that vaccination time slots were completely booked several days in advance immediately after children ages 5 to 11 were deemed eligible. Capacity for vaccine administration at this location tripled to address this high demand. The Brooklyn Center elementary schools were only two of almost 30 school-based vaccine clinic locations across the state. In total, there were over 11,000 vaccination sites in Minnesota to facilitate vaccination of the newly eligible population.
Outcome
The large number of vaccination clinics at child-centric locations like schools and children’s museums helped facilitate vaccine uptake among children ages 5 to 11. The number and variety of locations allowed for equitable vaccine distribution.
Supplemental Resources