AARP Outlines New Steps to Improve MN’s COVID Vaccine Plan

AARP has been fighting in Washington DC, St. Paul, and state capitols across the country to make sure that older Americans are prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and have timely and accurate information about how and when to sign up to get vaccinated. And while we are encouraged by the milestones and progress of last week - including eclipsing the one million mark for vaccination, the continued downward trends in COVID-related deaths and hospitalizations, the work to vaccinate residents and staff in long term care, and the launch of the Minnesota Vaccine Connector - we know that our state’s vaccination rollout has left too many feeling frustrated and confused.  A recent online questionnaire fielded between 2/12 and 2/15 by email to AARP members across Minnesota reflected just that. More than 1,700 AARP members completed the questionnaire.

The results of the questionnaire show a strong eagerness among AARP members and older Minnesotans to get the COVID-19 vaccine and mixed results for attaining one. But perhaps more revealing were the anecdotes and personal stories shared by several hundred of the respondents. Those stories reveal a public confused and frustrated about why decisions have been made and the system they are left to navigate and demoralized when their efforts to secure a vaccine come up empty. 

We are listening to our members, and we’re making sure that decision-makers in Minnesota are too.  Today, AARP MN sent a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm, sharing insights from AARP members and outlining steps they can and must take to ensure equitable, accessible and user-friendly vaccine administration in our state and to continue to prioritize older Minnesotans.