Coronavirus COVID-19

Booster shots are recommended for all Minnesotans age 12 and older.

All Minnesotans age 12 and older are recommended to get a booster shot. The timing of your booster shot depends on the vaccine you received for your initial vaccine series. 

If you got the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine:

• All Minnesotans age 12 and older who got the Pfizer vaccine should get a booster shot at least 5 months after their primary series of vaccine.
• People who are 12 through 17 years of age can only receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as their booster dose.

Choosing a booster shot

Officials allow "mixing and matching" COVID-19 vaccine boosters, for adults age 18 and older meaning you can get any of the three currently authorized or approved vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson), regardless of what vaccine you received for your primary series. Pfizer and Moderna are recommended over Johnson & Johnson for booster vaccination.

People who are 12 through 17 years of age are not allowed to ‘mix and match,’ and can only receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as their booster dose.

Find a Booster Shot

All Minnesotans 5 years of age and older now eligible for Pfizer vaccine.

• Minnesotans age 5 to 17 are eligible only for the Pfizer vaccine.
• The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized and recommended for people ages 18 years and older.

Find COVID-19 Vaccine Locations

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics for Youth in Saint Paul

Child doses are now available at Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health-operated clinics. Additionally, several Saint Paul Public Schools are holding vaccine clinics for ages 5 and up. Kids in this age group can also get the vaccine at free clinics operated by the State of Minnesota, at health care clinics, and pharmacies. Remember, there is no cost for the vaccine. You do not need to provide a government-issued ID or medical insurance to be vaccinated, and no question on immigration status is ever asked. Parents and guardians can find more information about the vaccine for children and teens.

The State of Minnesota's Kid Deserve a Shot incentives return in 2022.

• $200 Visa gift card: The State of Minnesota is offering $200 Visa gift cards to families in Minnesota who get their 5-11-year-olds fully vaccinated in January and February. To be eligible, kids in Minnesota ages 5-11 must receive their first and second dose between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28. 

• $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship drawings: Later this spring, there will be drawings for five $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship drawings for all kids in Minnesota 5-11 years old who are fully vaccinated. All kids in Minnesota ages 5-11 years old who completed their first and second doses at any point up to the registration deadline will be eligible to enter for a chance to win a $100,000 college scholarship. Details on the drawings will be announced in the coming months.

Community Vaccination Locations

Saint Paul-Ramsey County Public Health has opened its large COVID-19 vaccination clinics to the general public. Registration is available online or individuals can call Ramsey County Public Health’s vaccine phone line at 651-266-1190 (Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) with questions or to get help. 

Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector

Governor Walz announced the launch of the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector, a tool that helps all Minnesotans find out when, where, and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine. When a Minnesotan becomes eligible to receive a vaccine under state guidelines, the Vaccine Connector will: 

• Alert them when they're eligible.
• Connect them to appointment scheduling resources.
• Notify them of vaccination opportunities in their area.

There will be no cost and no restricted time period for signing up. Minnesotans unable to sign up online can call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. Translation service is available by phone

We must continue to wear masks, socially distance, wash our hands frequently and stay home if we are sick to make sure as few people as possible get COVID-19 until a vaccine is widely available.

Access Immunization Records

The Minnesota Department of Health announced a new mobile app that gives Minnesotans access to their immunization record faster. Minnesotans can now easily access their immunization record through their smartphones or other mobile devices by using an app called Docket. Docket enables residents with a Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) record to securely view and share their immunization records, even if they were given by different health care providers in Minnesota.

Lost your vaccine card?

You should get a card when you get your COVID-19 vaccination that includes the name of the vaccine product and the date you got it. Follow recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health on what to do if you've lost your vaccine card. Information is available in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali.

Additional Tools

The tools below are intended to help Minnesotans connect with vaccine providers, view key vaccination data for our state, and learn more about the state's vaccine distribution plan.

• Minnesota’s new COVID-19 vaccine locator map connects people age 65+ to vaccination opportunities. There is still a limited amount of vaccine, so appointments may not be available everywhere. 
• The State of Minnesota has launched a public vaccine data dashboard to detail the progress of COVID-19 vaccine allocation, distribution, and administration across Minnesota. 

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 Testing

• Order free, at home, COVID-19 tests from the federal government. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order up to four free at-home tests. All tests distributed as part of this program are FDA-authorized at-home rapid antigen tests, not PCR tests. These tests provide results within 30 minutes and no lab drop-off is required. Learn more about ordering a test from these frequently asked questions.
• Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced a new semi-permanent COVID-19 community testing site in Saint Paul. The Saint Paul site is located in Roy Wilkins Auditorium, 175 West Kellogg Blvd. Testing at the Saint Paul site will occur Monday – Thursday, from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Testing is free at all of the state's community testing sites. Appointments can be made through the Vault Health registration site. Walk-ins are also accepted.
• The COVID-19 Test at Home program is now available to all Minnesotans across the state. 

Public Health Information

For questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, call 1-833-431-2053 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

COVID-19 Symptoms

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19. Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.

Is it COVID-19? Use the State of Minnesota's tool with symptoms and when to seek medical help. Learn more about COVID-19 on the CDC website.

Breakthrough Cases

Breakthrough cases happen when people who are fully vaccinated still test positive for COVID-19.

• This is normal.
• No vaccine is 100% effective.

Even though breakthrough cases might happen more as variants circulate, fully vaccinated people are much less likely to get really sick or need hospitalization, so the vaccines are working! This is extremely important to make sure hospitals have enough beds for everyone and people who need emergency care can find it quickly. Getting vaccinated is the best way to help protect yourself and the people around you from COVID-19.

Watch a short video about breakthrough cases from the Minnesota Department of Health.

Quarantine Guidelines

Updated COVID-19 quarantine guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC has released updated information that shortens the recommended isolation and quarantine period for the general population. 

Multilingual Health Information

Find video PSAs, print materials, and translated documents to assist with preparing for and responding to COVID-19 on MDH's Materials and Resources for COVID-19 website.

Mental Health Information

If you are experiencing stress and mental health symptoms as a result of COVID-19, you can call Ramsey County's Children’s Mental Health Crisis Line at 651-266-7878 and the Adult Mental Health Crisis Line at 651-266-7900.

Saint Paul Public Library Social Worker

Get help with problem-solving, ask questions, find resources, or get support from a licensed social worker. Email Carolyn.Hockey@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

Managing Stress and Anxiety

• Centers For Disease Control (CDC): Helping Children Cope During and After a Crisis
• PBS: How You and Your Kids Can De-Stress During Coronavirus

COVID-19 Scams

Be aware of scammers are taking advantage of fears surrounding COVID-19 vaccines. Help protect yourself from threats and be on the lookout for phishing emails and fraud:

• COVID antibody tests: The FBI says con artists are advertising fake COVID-19 antibody tests in hopes of harvesting personal information they can use in identity theft or health insurance scams.
• COVID vaccine registration scams: Be suspect of emails requesting information in order to register for vaccine trials or other related programs. 
• Contact tracing: Messages from actual contact tracers working for public health agencies will not include any links or ask you for money or personal data.
• Ask for donations: Be skeptical of fundraising calls or emails for COVID-19 victims or virus research, especially if they pressure you to act fast and request payment by prepaid debit cards or gift cards.
• Appear to be from someone you know asking for personal information: Even if the sender appears to know you, never provide account information/passwords via email. Also, do not reply to the message; instead reach out to your contact individually to clarify.

To report a scam or other consumer problem related to COVID-19, use the Federal Trade Commission's Complaint Assistant at ftc.gov/complaint.