Walz To Announce New Vaccine Incentives Thursday

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Gov. Tim Walz will announce new incentives on Thursday to encourage Minnesotans to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Spokesperson Teddy Tschann said that for 100,000 Minnesotans who get vaccinated between Memorial Day weekend and the end of June, they will be eligible for their choice of state park passes, fishing licenses, as well as fair and amusement park tickets.

The goal is for 70% of Minnesotans 16 and older to be inoculated before July 1. Health officials have said the 70% threshold indicates the state has reached "herd immunity," a milestone in protecting the greater community against the virus.

Last week, Walz announced that the Minnesota sports teams, including the Wild, Lynx, Twins, and United will offer free COVID-19 vaccines to those who attend games.

On Wednesday, the state reported that 63.7% of Minnesotans 16 and older had received at least one vaccine dose. More than 5.1 million vaccines have been administered since December.