Mall of America community vaccination site prioritizing teens for COVID-19 vaccines

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - The state-run community vaccination site at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota is prioritizing 16 and 17 year olds this week to get the Pfizer vaccine, the state Department of Education says.

According to MDE, the state has reserved a portion of MOA appointments for Minnesota teens and their families. Those appointments can be accessed at this link that was specifically created for this initiative. When scheduling an online appointment, teens under the age of 18 must receive signed consent from a parent or guardian.

All Minnesotans 16 and older are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but Pfizer is the only vaccine that has been studied and authorized for use by people ages 16 and 17. 

As of Thursday, 38,909 Minnesotans between the ages of 16 and 17 have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is around 1.6% of all the Minnesotans who have gotten at least one dose. 

GET YOUR SHOT: How to make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Minnesota