Minnesota health officials expand vaccine eligibility

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Department of Health has told hospitals, health care systems and other vaccination providers that they can now provide coronavirus shots to a broader group of the population, including Minnesotans 65 and older.

Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said in a statement that the move is meant to free providers to use all available doses as quickly as possible while still ensuring that the doses are targeted to those most at-need for protection from COVID-19.

The federal government this week urged states to immediately start vaccinating groups that had been lower down the priority scale than before.