If you are an unpaid primary caregiver for a person with complex medical needs, you are in a priority group to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as an “unpaid health care worker.”
Governor Walz is expected to announce today that anyone over 16 is eligible to receive the vaccine but because the supply of vaccines is not keeping up with demand, it may still be difficult to get the vaccination.
Family/friend caregivers can sign up using the state’s Vaccine Connector or access vaccinations at a community vaccination clinic.
The connector tool does not have a category for family/friend caregivers, but you can use these selections to get signed up and be recognized as a priority:
- Under demographic details, indicate you are a first responder who provides direct patient care.
- For the question “if you are employed, can you work from home?” select “no.”
- For the question about what industry you work in, select the “other” box and write in “primary caregiver.”
The Minnesota Department of Health has also provided a template for a letter that you can use to show that you are eligible for a vaccine. The letter should be printed on the letterhead of an organization that can attest to your work as a primary caregiver (such as a physician). You are not required to have such a letter and most vaccine clinics will not ask for it.
Senior LinkAge Line can help!
As a family/friend caregiver, you are essential to the health and well-being of the person for whom you provide care, and we want to be sure that you get access to vaccinations.
Call the Senior LinkAge Line® at 800-333-2433 for help getting signed up on the Vaccine Connector and to understand how to get verified as a caregiver.
