Throughout the COVID-19 response, the state focused on finding new and better ways to communicate critical information to Minnesotans. The state launched a COVID-19 testing location information webpage in April 2020 and a Vaccine Locator Map in January 2021. These sites recently received a Governor's Certificate Award for Exemplary Geospatial Projects. This award honors geospatial projects that improve services for Minnesotans. The Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo) worked alongside cross-agency teams to bring these sites to life. 

In December 2020, MnGeo helped to automate how the information was pulled into the testing webpage and added more user-friendly filters. The improvements allowed Minnesotans to find the information they needed and created a more efficient process for the state to share updates quickly. To make the page accessible, the testing site information in the interactive map was provided in informational cards for each testing provider. Soon after launch, the team repurposed the testing location site to create a Vaccine Locator Map to help Minnesotans more easily find and connect with local vaccine providers in their area. 

For this work, the 2022 Governor's Certificate was presented to:

• Metropolitan Council
• Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo)
• Minnesota IT Services partnering with Minnesota Department of Revenue
• Minnesota IT Services Application Development Team
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• Minnesota Department of Health
• Minnesota IT Services partnering with Minnesota Department of Health

Find more information about the project and award, including the submission on MnGeo's website.