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Dear Neighbors,
Minnesota has made hard-fought progress to overcome COVID-19. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are all trending downward, and our vaccination process is improving as the vaccine supply increases.
As of Tuesday, March 2nd, 948,127 Minnesotans have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 500,188 have completed the series.
Minnesota is already a national leader in getting shots into arms. As of Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control ranks Minnesota 3rd among states for the percentage of doses received that have been administered.
Our state is expected to exceed administering vaccines to 70 percent of Minnesotans who are 65 years old or older by the end of March. Once we hit this benchmark, people with certain underlying health conditions and those who are at a high risk for workplace exposure will become eligible. Current projections indicate that every Minnesotan should be able to get a vaccine this summer.
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Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Launch at TCO in Eagan
Yesterday, it was announced that Minnesota will receive 45,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week. On February 27, the Food and Drug Administration granted Emergency Use Authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson. FDA authorization comes after rigorous scientific and medical review. This news will pick-up the vaccination process significantly and bring us closer to a safer Minnesota.
The Minnesota Vikings are partnering with the State of Minnesota's COVID-19 Vaccination Program to launch a community event this week at Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO) Performance Center in Eagan.Beginning this Friday through Tuesday, approximately 13,400 Minnesotans will take the field at the Minnesota Vikings' practice facility for a Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. Those that sign up on the Vaccine Connector will be contacted if they qualify for this vaccine event and others that will be organized.
You can sign up on the COVID-19 Vaccine Connector Website.
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Happy Women’s History Month!
The month of March is Women’s History Month. Women have throughout history made incredible contributions to our State and Country. This week, I would like to highlight Representative Mary Forsythe, the first woman to serve the City of Edina in the Minnesota House of Representatives. A dedicated public servant, she served our community for 18 years as one of the very few women leaders in our State at the time. You can read more about Mary here.
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Modifications to the Medical Cannabis Programs
The medical cannabis program is administered by the commissioner of health. Under this program, medical cannabis manufacturers grow and process medical cannabis into allowable forms and distribute medical cannabis to patients with qualifying medical conditions.
I recently introduced House File 1413 to allow medical cannabis manufacturers to acquire hemp products from licensed hemp processors. The bill also modifies requirements for pharmacist consultations with patients before distribution of medical cannabis, along with medical cannabis to be distributed to patients and caregivers who remain in motor vehicles at distribution facilities.
A hearing of the bill is scheduled for 3 P.M. tomorrow, March 5th, in the Health Finance and Policy. You can watch the event live on the House Public Information Services’ YouTube channel.
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Local Option for a Sales Tax in Edina
This week I presented a new bill in the Property Tax Division Committee to allow the city of Edina to impose a .5% local sales tax to fund potential projects including the development of the Fred Richards Park, amenities at Weber Woods Park, and the Braemar Park Master Plan. If approved this legislative session, each project would be put before Edina voters within the next two years. LOST or Local Option Sales Tax is a way to fund improvements in our city without raising property taxes - and would be shared by all people that visit, work and live in our City.
A recorded version of the hearing from today will soon be available on the House Public Information Services’ Youtube Channel.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Connector
We all want things to get back to normal, and getting the vaccine when it’s your turn, along with wearing a mask, social distancing, and staying home if you’re sick will all help us close this chapter quicker.
If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, I encourage you to check out Minnesota’s COVID-19 Vaccine Connector, a new tool to help people find out when, where, and how to get a vaccine. It can let you know when you’re eligible to be vaccinated, connect you to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment, and alert you if there are vaccine opportunities nearby. To sign up, visit mn.gov/vaccineconnector or call 833-431-2053.
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