[ST. PAUL, MN] — Governor Tim Walz announced Thursday that Minnesota has administered more than two million COVID-19 vaccine doses. While it took more than two months for the state to administer the first million doses, it took less than one month to administer the second million doses. Minnesota has been able to increase vaccination rates as supply has increased from the federal government and Governor Walz continues to expand capacity in the state’s vaccine distribution network.

Minnesota is a national leader in getting vaccines into arms and continues to rank in the top ten among states for the percentage of doses received that have been administered.

“Hope is on the horizon as more than two million doses of life-saving vaccines have gone into the arms of our loved ones in Minnesota,” said Governor Walz. “With our strong network of hard-working providers and Minnesotans doing their part to end this pandemic by rolling up their sleeves when it’s their turn, we are proud of our state for working together and leading the nation in vaccine administration. We look forward to celebrating these remarkable milestones at an increasing pace this spring as vaccine supply continues to grow.”

“Every vaccine administered is a shot of hope, and we have two million shots of hope to celebrate today,” said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. “We will continue working around the clock to provide that hope to each and every Minnesotan — safely, fairly, and equitably — as we receive more vaccine in state in the coming weeks. Minnesotans are answering the call to roll up their sleeves when it’s their turn, and brighter days are on the horizon.”

As of Thursday’s vaccine report, 1,303,210 Minnesotans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 764,275 Minnesotans are fully vaccinated. Nearly 77% of adults 65 years of age and older have received at least one dose.

Governor Walz has taken several steps to increase the pace of vaccination in Minnesota. In addition to the state’s expansive network of providers and pharmacies, Minnesota has stood up several Community Vaccination sites to increase capacity, including a new site launched this week in St. Cloud. Governor Walz also signed a bill into law this month authorizing qualified dentists to administer coronavirus vaccinations to help prepare for increased vaccine supply.

Weeks ahead of schedule, Minnesota hit its goal of vaccinating 70% of people age 65+ and Governor Walz expanded eligibility to 1.8 million more people last week, allowing even more Minnesotans who need the vaccine to receive it. Minnesota’s vaccine distribution network stands ready to continue scaling up and increasing vaccination rates as supply continues to increase in the coming weeks.

As Minnesota reports more than two million vaccine doses administered, the state will also report more than 500,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 today. While we are closer than ever to ending the pandemic and returning to our daily lives, we are not out of the woods yet. The Walz-Flanagan Administration and public health officials urge Minnesotans to remain vigilant and continue following critical safety measures of social distancing, masking, washing hands, and getting tested when needed.