Resources for Free COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics and Testing, City and County Rewards, Other Resources

The strongest defense against the delta variant is through vaccination. Get a free COVID-19 vaccine at a Minneapolis Health Department clinic. Walk-ins are welcome, and the vaccinations are free. You don’t need insurance, you don’t need an appointment and you don’t need an ID. Questions about the vaccines? Watch and share this video for 11 things you should know about COVID-19 vaccines.

Upcoming clinics

• 24th Street Somali Mall, 912 E. 24th St. 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7 Pfizer (12 and older)
• Lincoln International Charter School, 2520 Minnehaha Ave. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26 Pfizer (12 and older)
• Steven’s Square Park, 1801 Stevens Ave. 4-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27 Pfizer (12 and older)
• Park Avenue United Methodist Church, 3400 Park Ave. 9 a.m. to noon, every Saturday Pfizer (12 and older)

Find more information, updates and new free community vaccinations on the City website.

Other ways to get a vaccine

Vaccines work. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, get a free vaccine as soon as you can. COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have plummeted as more Minnesotans receive their vaccine. About nine out of 10 Americans live within 5 miles of a COVID-19 vaccination site.

• Free vaccine at the barber shop. Watch and share this video about free vaccines at Wilson’s Image, 2124 ½ W. Broadway Ave. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Aug. 21.
• To find the site closest to you, visit vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX); or call 1-800-232-0233.
• Find COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the CDC’s VaccineFinder. You can filter by location and search for Pfizer only for 12-17-year-olds.
• Find vaccine locations and providers near you using the State’s interactive map.
• Sign up for the Minnesota COVID-19 vaccine connector in English, Spanish, Somali or Hmong to get contacted about vaccine in your area.
• Contact your primary health care provider or a local pharmacy.

Unvaccinated children at greater risk for COVID-19

Unvaccinated children are at risk for COVID-19 infection much more now because of the new variants. With children returning to school in person this fall and online learning likely not available, it’s important that all children over 12 get the COVID-19 vaccine to be safe throughout the school year.

Children would need their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine by Aug. 2 and the second dose by Aug. 23 to be fully vaccinated by the first day of school.

For information about vaccines, visit the City of Minneapolis website. To find Pfizer vaccinations (approved for ages 12 and older), contact your health care provider or find details for the Mall of America community vaccination site

Vaccination Incentives

Minnesotans can now submit their requests for the $100 vaccination rewards program at mn.gov/covid19/100.

Minnesotans 12 years of age and older who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since July 30 can submit a request for a $100 Visa gift card. The form will remain open for submissions for Minnesotans who get their first dose until Aug. 15.

Reward requests must be submitted to the Minnesota Department of Health by 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15. Vaccine information will be subject to verification by the Department of Health.

This rewards program is limited to the first 24,330 eligible submissions, but the governor will work with the state Legislature on a public-private partnership to provide Minnesotans, especially those in vulnerable and underserved communities, real-time incentives to get their shot.

As fall approaches and kids go back to school, getting vaccinated can help slow the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant and keep our communities safer. This is your chance to do your part – and earn $100 for it.

Hennepin County $50 Visa gift cards

Hennepin County hopes to raise the overall vaccination rate in our county and state while closing the vaccination gap within communities and neighborhoods hardest hit by COVID-19. In doing so, we can limit where the virus – especially the variants of concern – circulates and makes people sick.

Hennepin County is offering vaccine incentives to people 12 and older who receive their first or second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Instant vaccine incentives

Until Aug. 15 (or as long as supplies last), everyone 12 and older is eligible to get a $50 Visa gift card when they receive a first or a second COVID-19 vaccine dose at any Hennepin County vaccine event. (People who receive both doses will get two $50 Visa gift cards.)

Find a list of upcoming County vaccine events open to the public on the Hennepin County website.

For questions, call the COVID-19 navigator line at 612-348-8900, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours, you can leave a voicemail. Help is available is English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

Free COVID-19 Tests

COVID-19 testing is free. Do not eat, drink or use tobacco products for 30 minutes before taking a COVID-19 saliva test.

• Native American Community Clinic, 1213 E. Franklin Ave. 2 p.m. Tuesdays Appointments required: Call 612-872-8086 to schedule an appointment.
• Southside Community Health Services, 324 E. 35th St. 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays Appointments required: Call 612-827-7181 to schedule an appointment. You can expect to get your test results in about two-three business days. Same day testing can be done for health care workers, first responders and essential workers.

Find a current list of free COVID-19 tests on the City website.

If you can’t attend one of these testing events, you can use this directory to find a testing location near you.

Resources

The COVID-19 test is free, and you do not need insurance for the test. If you need medical care but don’t have health insurance, the Minnesota Department of Health offers resources to find low-cost health care or health insurance.

CDC, Minnesota officials update COVID-19 recommendations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its recommendations for COVID-19 safety including wearing a mask indoors in public if you’re in an area of substantial or high transmission. Minneapolis is in an area of substantial transmission, and masks are required indoors in City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis Public Schools, Ramsey County, and Saint Paul owned or controlled properties. Face coverings also continue to be required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on public transportation, including school buses.

State K-12 recommendations

With students, families and K-12 educators preparing for the start of the 2021-22 school year, and given the delta variant’s alarming ability to spread more easily, Minnesota health and education officials recommend that schools follow the CDC’s new guidance for COVID-19 prevention in K-12 schools this fall. The recommendations reflect the current state of the pandemic along with the importance of in-person learning.

State health officials stress that vaccination, masking and physical distancing remain our best public health strategies for slowing the spread of COVID-19. With the uptick in COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant, it’s more important than ever that anyone eligible for vaccination get that protection as soon as possible.

Among the specific points covered in the State guidance:

• Everyone 12 and older should get vaccinated for COVID-19 before returning to school, sports or other activities in person to protect themselves and to protect the people around them who cannot get vaccinated.
  • Becoming fully vaccinated lessens the chance of getting COVID-19 and becoming seriously ill from it. Getting vaccinated slows down transmission and helps keep everyone at school and in the community safe. Vaccines are safe and effective, and vaccinations are an important step in keeping schools and activities open for all students.
  • Children need their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible to be fully vaccinated early in the school year. For information about vaccines, visit the City of Minneapolis website. To find Pfizer vaccinations (approved for ages 12 and older), contact your health care provider or find details for the Mall of America community vaccination site. The City of Minneapolis is also currently offering free Pfizer vaccinations.
• State officials also recommend all students, teachers, staff and visitors in school buildings wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status to protect those who cannot yet be vaccinated or who remain at higher risk because of immune-compromised status or other conditions.

For more information on how to get vaccinated, visit Vaccines.gov or contact your health care provider. You can use the map on State of Minnesota: Find Vaccine Locations to search for providers who are offering COVID-19 vaccine.