One-Shot, Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — It’s being called a game changer in the fight against COVID-19.

A third, single-shot vaccine.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was on hand as the state received its first batch of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“It’s almost mind-boggling that it’ll be a year ago on this coming Saturday, that the first confirmed case of COVID showed up in Minnesota,” said Walz.

“And we were trying to figure out what this was. How do you get a test to show what it was? And we’re here to celebrate Johnson and Johnson’s, uh, delivery of the vaccines to Minnesota.”

Minnesota will receive more than 45,000 doses of the vaccine this week.

Immunizations will begin as soon as they arrive at providers.

The single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine does not require ultra-cold storage like the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

Walz has also signed a bill into law authorizing qualified dentists to administer the vaccines.

One in six Minnesotans now has at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest Minnesota Department of Health data shows nearly one million Minnesotans have at least one dose while nearly half a million are fully vaccinated.

That is around 17% and 9% of the state’s population respectively.

More than 54% of seniors now have at least one dose.

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm told the Senate Aging committee she is “highly confident” that Minnesota will vaccinate 70% of seniors before the end of the month.