Governor Walz Launches "Kids Deserve a Shot' Vaccine Incentive Program for Minnesotans 5-11 Years Old

Statement

Today, Governor Tim Walz announced the launch of the next phase of the "Kids Deserve a Shot' vaccine incentive program to encourage Minnesota families to get their kids 5- to 11-years-old fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Walz-Flanagan Administration is committed to providing the resources necessary to make sure kids stay healthy and in school, and that includes getting as many families vaccinated as possible.

While Minnesota is one of the leaders in the nation in vaccinating children 5- to-11 years old, this is still the lowest rate of vaccination among eligible age groups in the state. As the Omicron variant causes record-breaking new cases across the nation, Governor Walz launched the next phase of the "Kids Deserve a Shot' program to help boost vaccination rates among this eligible age group, which will help protect children against severe illness and hospitalizations.

"As Omicron surges across our nation, we're continuing to use every resource we have to keep our families safe and healthy," said Governor Walz. "There's a lot of highly transmissible virus circulating in our communities, but getting our children 5-11 years old vaccinated gives them critical protection against severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19 and helps keep them in school. You'll get $200 cash in your pocket for getting this easy vaccination done at the start of the year."

"There's no better way to keep your family safe than by getting everyone who is eligible vaccinated," said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. "We want to help Minnesotans start the year off by getting those vaccinations done and getting $200 in their pockets. Kids deserve a shot at a healthy 2022, and COVID-19 vaccines are one of the best tools to get us there."

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