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How to get a COVID-19 vaccine at your primary health care provider

As of March 30, all Minnesotans ages 16 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

MINNEAPOLIS — Some health care providers have asked that patients do not call them directly to ask about COVID-19 vaccines, as they want phone lines available for other patients seeking treatment. So, KARE 11 reached out to all the major health care systems in Minnesota about their vaccination plans, and if there is anything eligible patients can do to get an appointment.

M Health Fairview is currently giving COVID-19 vaccines only to paid and unpaid health care workers who are unable to work remotely, people age 50 and older, people with certain conditions or disabilities under Phase 1B Tier 4 of the state's plan, and people who are members of specific racial or ethnic groups that have experienced disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Patients are encouraged to sign up for a "MyChart" account on the M Health Fairview website, and if eligible, can book an available appointment. Those who are not current patients, but are still eligible for the vaccine, can still create a MyChart account and see available appointments.

HealthPartners is giving vaccines to the following patients in Minnesota by invitation only: patients 65 or older; patients 16 or older who have specific underlying medical conditions; patients with rare conditions or disabilities that put them at higher risk; patients age 45-64 who have one or more underlying medical conditions; patients 16-44 who have two or more underlying conditions; patients 50 or older who live in multigenerational housing; and patients who are primary caregivers to another person with complex medical needs. Anyone who meets the last two eligibility criteria can attest to either living in multigenerational housing or being a primary caregiver through their online HealthPartners account. Someone is considered a patient if they have been seen by a HealthPartners clinician in the last 36 months. They are encouraged on the website to log in or create an account to verify contact information.

Allina Health is giving vaccines to patients and community members at greater risk of COVID-19, including patients over age 65 and people under age 65 with certain underlying health conditions. Any patient they’ve seen in the last five years is in their system, and Allina is directly contacting those eligible by email, phone or letter. To make sure your contact information is up to date, you can check your Allina online account.

Hennepin Healthcare is vaccinating patients 65 and older who have been seen in their clinic. Patients are encouraged to set up a MyChart account or call 612-873-5600 so that they can be messaged when an appointment is available for them. Hennepin Healthcare said its unable to schedule appointments for those who became newly eligible for vaccines in Minnesota on March 30 at this time, but will continue to expand eligibility once the provider has reached its high-risk patients and vaccine supply increases.

Mayo Clinic is giving vaccines to patients 65 and older who live in the greater Rochester area. They are also helping Olmsted County Public Health vaccinate non-Mayo patients in that age range who live in the area. Next week, Mayo Clinic will begin vaccinating patients 75 and older. They are reaching out to patients via Patient Online Services and on the phone. Patients can sign up for an online account or log in to double-check contact info. Mayo Clinic will send vaccine appointment invitations to patients with underlying conditions, increasing opportunities for staff and all Minnesota residents age 16 or older, as vaccine supply allows.

North Memorial Health is prioritizing high-risk patients for vaccines, including anyone age 65 and older or patients age 18-64 who were randomly selected and meet Phase 1B Tier 2 and Tier 3. Invitations to schedule an appointment are going to patients through emails, text messages and phone calls then scheduled on a first-come basis. Anyone over 65 who's looking to get vaccinated can call 763-581-CARE (2273) to schedule an appointment.

Sanford Health is vaccinating all Minnesota residents age 16 or older. Anyone who meets the state’s eligibility guidelines can schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment by calling (877) 701-0779, or though the Sanford Health website.

CentraCare is giving vaccines to all Minnesota residents ages 16 and older. Targeted groups are contacted through MyChart messages, direct phone calls and other means of direct communication. People can make an appointment for their COVID-19 vaccine by using MyChart, calling CentraCare Connect at 320-200-3200 or through the provider's online scheduling option.

Essentia Health in Minnesota is giving vaccines to residents 16 and older. Those who are currently eligible can self-schedule vaccine appointments by going to Essentia's online patient portal, MyChart. You no longer need to be a patient of Essentia Health to open a MyChart account. Patients and community members can also call (833) 494-0836 to schedule a vaccine appointment if they meet eligibility criteria. 

Children's Minnesota is calling in its highest-risk patients to receive a COVID-19 vaccine shot. Those individuals will be contacted directly. Children's Minnesota currently doesn't have adequate vaccine supply to administer at its clinics, but are planning to do so in the future once supply improves.

St. Luke's is now giving vaccines to all Minnesota residents ages 16 and older, who can schedule their appointment online with their myCare patient portal account. St. Luke's is calling its high-risk patients to offer appointments. St. Luke's will continue to provide daily updates on its website. Appointments can also be made by calling (218) 249-4200, and the hotline is staffed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Non-St. Luke's patients or those without access to a patient portal can also email vaccine@slhduluth.com to request an appointment. More details about the information to provide can be found on St. Luke's website.

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