Gov. Walz will give an update on COVID-19 on Tuesday
Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday afternoon will provide an update on the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota.
According to a news release, Walz will be joined by Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Commissioner Jan Malcolm and MDH Infectious Disease Director Kris Ehresmann.
The call with reporters is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The State of Minnesota began administering the Pfizer vaccine last week. Over the weekend, the FDA granted the Moderna vaccine emergency use authorization, and it started being distributed across the country on Monday.
Initially, in the first four weeks, Walz said more than 180,000 Minnesotans would be vaccinated (primarily healthcare workers) but late last week he said the state got about 40% fewer doses of the vaccine than expected.
Although there is hope now that two vaccines are being distributed, federal and state health officials continue to stress the importance of mitigation measures like wearing a mask and socially distancing as the vast majority of people are still vulnerable to the virus.