6,000 Minnesotans get 1st COVID-19 vaccine dose at mass vaccination sites Thursday

(FOX 9) - Approximately 6,000 Minnesotans got their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday at the state’s mass vaccination sites, including 3,200 teachers and child care workers at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, according to a state spokesperson.

The state aims to vaccinate approximately 15,000 Twin Cities teachers and child care workers at the pop-up vaccination site at Roy Wilkins Auditorium over the next few days. The site is not open to the general public, but only those teachers and child care workers who were contacted by their district to set up an appointment in advance.

Teacher and childcare worker vaccination site now open in St. Paul

Teachers and childcare workers in Minnesota with appointments are now able to get the COVID-19 vaccine as St. Paul’s Roy Wilkins Auditorium has been converted into a vaccination site.

Thousands of additional teachers, child care workers and seniors will get their shots at other community vaccination pilot clinics across the state through Monday.

Minnesota health officials say the goal is to eventually get most of the vaccine distributed through pharmacies, clinics and primary care providers.

As of Jan. 27, 345,636 people in Minnesota have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and and 96,824 people are fully inoculated, according to MDH.

A total of 106,513 seniors have gotten at least one dose, which is 12.8% of the state's 65 and older population.

Minnesota is 41st in the number of people receiving a first dose per capita, and 15th in the number of people receiving both doses per capita, according to CDC data.