The COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been much more successful than we thought. As Minnesota approaches nearly 3 million people vaccinated, another big step has brought us closer to possibly having all 5.6 million people fully vaccinated. 

On March 26, Gov. Walz announced that all eligible Minnesotans can receive the vaccine. This means everyone age 16 and above are now able to receive the Pfizer vaccine. This was somewhat surprising as the vaccine rollout plan for Minnesota had this age group set to receive vaccinations in late May.

This news caused some controversy over whether it’s actually time for the vaccine to go out, or if we should wait until all of the high risk individuals have been fully vaccinated. I say it’s time for it to be open for everyone, 85% of people ages 65 and older have at least one dose, and 45% of adults have at least one dose of the vaccine as well. These are great numbers, especially for what was expected around this time.

President Joe Biden wants everyone to be eligible for vaccinations by May 1, and with these numbers it’s starting to feel attainable. At first I was surprised they had put such a close date on the timeline, because of how slow the beginning was, but if other states can move as quickly as we are, then all of the U.S. could definitely be eligible by then.

I believe that everyone who wants a vaccine will be able to receive at some point. There wouldn’t be a reason to bar your request unless some sort of extreme circumstance happens. So, if you’re eligible, I would recommend getting vaccinated. Being able to get yours as soon as possible means that you can start going back to regular activities, which I know the majority of us want to do. 

The vaccine isn’t something to be scared of either. I currently have one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the side effects differ for each person. Personally, it just felt like I had a cold, but of course always talk to your doctor if you’re unsure about receiving the vaccine. It feels good to know that your chances are lowered of catching COVID-19, and that you’re one step closer to normalcy.