Fall is approaching, and with the cooler weather comes increased spread of respiratory illnesses like the common cold, influenza (flu), and COVID-19. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to minimize the spread of respiratory illnesses in congregate settings. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that everyone 6 months old and older receive their flu vaccine in September or October. The updated COVID-19 vaccines are currently awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration but are anticipated to be publicly available soon.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be offering vaccine clinics through contracted vaccine partners for staff and residents or clients at shelters, day centers, supportive housing programs, and other congregate settings. MDH is working with community partners to have gift cards available at vaccine clinics. Eligible organizations can request to have our vaccinators come on-site for a clinic through this request form: COVID-19 Vaccination Event Request Form for Congregate Settings (smartsheet.com).
Through the form, organizations can request a one-time or ongoing clinics for COVID-19 and flu vaccine. Organizations can also request harm reduction services such as overdose prevention and response training, distribution of opioid overdose reversal kits (i.e., naloxone), distribution of safer use supplies including syringe exchange (distribution of sterile syringes, collection of used syringes), and infectious disease testing and linkage to care.
If you are interested in hosting a vaccine clinic, we encourage you to complete the form as soon as possible. Submitting your request will allow MDH time to estimate demand, coordinate with local and tribal public health departments and execute contracts with organizations that need MDH staff or equipment to support the clinics.
Vaccine education and sharing accurate information that addresses questions and concerns is one of the most important things we can be doing to protect people from hospitalization and death.This resource toolkit was designed to organize already created resources into topic areas and make them easy to access to share with the people you work with. Click on the topic below to access resources. Each is organized with high level overview information and deeper dive section to learn more. Some resources touch multiple topics, so you may find the same resource in multiple buckets.
Vaccine Overview and What to Expect
Vaccine Development and Safety
Culturally Specific Resources
Preparing your Site
Vaccine Data
Youth Resources
Conversation Guide: Our team has created a conversation guide for respectful conversations about the COVID-19 vaccines. This document is meant to be a tool to use in professional and personal settings and it provides tips and questions you can use to guide your conversations with people about COVID-19 vaccines. These approaches are grounded in a set of techniques call motivational interviewing.
Can’t find an answer to your question? If you still have a question after reviewing these resources, email elizabeth.dressel@state.mn.us and we will work to get an answer to your question.
We are continuing to add resources and welcome your additions. If you have a resource to add, please email Elizabeth Dressel.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has contracted with ACER, African Career, Education, and Resource Inc, in partnership with MICAH, Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing to operate the COVID-19 Trusted Messenger Vaccine Program. The COVID-19 Trusted Messengers will be people experiencing homelessness or living in congregate settings (such as supportive housing, sober homes, halfway houses, and correctional facilities) who are trained to share information with their peers about COVID-19 vaccines. The hired messengers will share their own experiences, and provide a non-medical, non-threatening perspective to aid their peers in making decisions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Trusted Messengers will be trained and provided ongoing support by MDH and MICH.
Questions about the program can be sent to Josh Leopold (josh.leopold.c19@state.mn.us) and Sue Watlov Phillips (sue@micah.org).
COVID-19 Vaccine and Motivational Interview Training: July 20, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccine and Motivational Interview Training: December 9, 2021
All Minnesotans 5 and up are eligible to be vaccinated. You can find more information about the state’s vaccine efforts on the COVID-19 Vaccine page. The Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 vaccine page has detailed information on vaccine data, phased rollout, and other resources. New pathways to be vaccinated continue to become available all the time and we want to make sure you are aware of the variety of ways eligible people can access vaccines. Check out below or this MDH Flyer on Ways to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine.
The At-Risk Populations Work Group developed and is executing a plan for vaccine distribution for people experiencing homelessness and the people who support them. This plan will take into consideration individuals in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, isolation hotels, unsheltered individuals, high risk hotels, emergency shelters, domestic violence and women’s shelters, and youth shelters. Our primary goal is to improve accessibility of vaccination and reduce barriers to vaccination for people experiencing homelessness and those who support them.
Achieving this goal requires engaging and listening, creating customized approaches, streamlining administrative and operational processes, and understanding and evaluating progress and impact. The entire effort will be rapid, adaptive, and committed to continuous improvement. The state welcomes your input throughout the vaccine planning and roll out efforts.
Important Considerations for Providers:
- Access to shelter and services should not be restricted to those who provide proof of having been vaccinated.
- The COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for use under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All of the COVID-19 vaccines that are being used have gone through the same safety tests and meet the same standards as any other vaccines.
- Under the EUA, people must be given the opportunity to accept or decline the vaccine. Getting the vaccine is an individual choice.
- We know the vaccine protects the vaccinated person, but we still don’t have data on whether it protects the vaccinated person from spreading it to others.