Coronavirus Vaccine Coming To 3 Minnesota CVS Stores Saturday

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Pharmacy chain CVS Health is now offering the coronavirus vaccine at three stores in Minnesota, the company announced on Thursday.

Appointments to receive the vaccine will become available Saturday at one store in each of three Minnesota counties: Hennepin, St. Louis and Olmsted Counties. Vaccines are available by appointment only.

As it stands, qualifying residents can now sign up to receive doses of the vaccine at CVS stores in 29 states.

“We’re increasing the number of active stores and expanding to additional states as fast as supply allows, with the capacity to administer 20 – 25 million shots per month,” Karen S. Lynch, CVS Health president and CEO, said in a statement. “We’re also focused on priority populations, including vulnerable communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic as well as teachers and school support staff.”

Starting Saturday, qualifying Minnesotans can visit CVS's vaccine website to find nearby stores offering the vaccine and make an appointment.

Read more: Minnesota Expands Vaccine Access To 2 New Phases

To date, CVS Health has distributed nearly 4.5 million doses of coronavirus vaccines to residents at some 40,000 long-term care facilities across the country through the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, the company said in a news release.

In Minnesota, CVS has already given out 85,975 doses of the vaccine to long-term care facility and assisted-living residents, company data shows.

Minnesota health officials on Tuesday added over 1 million residents to the list of people who currently qualify for the vaccine. Here is who currently qualifies.

"This one is going to take some weeks to get though. It's above 1 million people," Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said in a news conference this week. "But, the pace and the ability to move these vaccines — basically 90 percent of them within 72 hours of when the hit Minnesota — should really increase [the vaccination rate]. To Minnesotans: It's finally here. We are really on the cusp of this thing."

Health officials said they anticipate vaccination eligibility will open to more priority groups in four to six weeks.

"By the time we're through with that next larger group, essentially the next announcement would be for pretty much everyone else," Health department commissioner Jan Malcolm said.