County awarded for Covid work

Carlton County was one of five counties recognized for the Association of Minnesota Counties County Achievement award out of all 87 counties in Minnesota last month. Several Carlton County departments were recognized for their collaborative work on the drive-through Covid-19 vaccination clinics, including Public Health and Human Services, GIS, Land Department, Sheriff’s Office, Transportation Department, County Coordinator, and Maintenance Department.

According to the most recent Carlton County newsletter, this collaboration was innovative and increased efficiency for administering vaccines in Carlton County in the following ways: Carlton County GIS created a system to track real-time administration of vaccines and expedited the process of registration using technology instead of paper, handwritten forms. The drive-thru model allowed Carlton County to administer an average of 100 vaccines per hour, faster than a walk-thru clinic. This model allowed for better use of resources for PPE, especially when supply chain shortages were interrupted. The effort changed the way Carlton County implements mass vaccination and will be used as a model/plan for future mass dispensing responsibilities.