FOLEY, Minn. — Some Minnesota counties have upwards of 60% of their population receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine - others are lagging behind.
The Minnesota Department of Health reports only 35% of the population in Benton County has gotten at least one shot. Benton County is about 50 miles north of Minneapolis. Public health workers there are coming up with new ways to make the vaccine easier to get.
At the Gustavus Adolphus Church in Foley they are hosting a pop-up vaccination clinic. Health officials Julie Willman and Samantha Hageman organized the event, in part, to target teenagers.
"It just so happened that it worked out and they've been very gracious to let use their space," said Willman about the church. It's also across the street from Foley High School so it's more accessible to the teens.
"We made it a point to get Pfizer so we can offer it to our 16 and 17-year-olds," said Hageman.
The pair is pushing people to get vaccinated because the county has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the state. However, Willman says the number jumps to 59% for people 65 and older who have gotten the vaccine which is comparable to how many people in that age group get the flu vaccine.
A recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found one in five rural residents wouldn't get vaccinated. Transportation and trying to plan a trip into town, along with lack of technology and safety concerns can also lead to hesitancy.
"If they're on the fence about it and it's not convenient, that may be a barrier as well," said Hageman.
Besides a pop-up clinic, the women also mailed informational fliers to people throughout the county and plan to host mobile clinics at local farms in partnership with MDH.
"We're from this community, we're from Benton County, we want to make it the best that we can and provide the best information we can," said Willman.
The clinic had 69 appointments and at least 60 of them were spoken for. Walk-in appointments were also available.