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LANSING, Michigan (WILX) – Michigan announced on Friday that all residents aged 16 and over would become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5, nearly a month ahead of the May 1 date promised by President Joe Biden.
People aged 16 to 49 with certain medical conditions or disabilities will be eligible starting March 22, when people aged 50 to 64 can start getting vaccinated following a previous announcement. Two days later, on March 24, a federally-selected regional mass vaccination site will open at Ford Field in Detroit to administer an additional 6,000 doses per day for two months.
With the expansion of vaccine eligibility, providers are encouraged to continue to schedule appointments and allocate vaccinations to residents based on highest risk, including older residents, essential workers and frontline workers. The most recent vaccine prioritization guidelines can be found on the Michigan COVID-19 website.
“The safe COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way to protect yourself, your family and others from the virus,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “It will help the country get back to normal and help the economy. Almost a million Michiganders of all races have already been safely vaccinated. I urge all eligible Michiganders to obtain one of the three COVID-19 vaccines. Getting our country back to normal is essential so that we can all embrace our families, return to work, eat out, send our kids to school, play sports and get together. And as always: Mask yourself, practice safe social distancing, and avoid large indoor gatherings where COVID-19 can easily spread from person to person. We will eliminate this virus together. “
The United States expects to have enough doses for adults by the end of May, but Biden has warned that the process of administering those doses will take time. As of Wednesday, about 22% of Michigan’s population aged 16 and over had been fully or partially vaccinated.
“More than 2.7 million doses of safe and effective COVID vaccines have been administered in Michigan, and we are on track to vaccinate 70% of Michiganders aged 16 and over,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, director medical and deputy in chief of health to the MDHHS. “We are pleased to present our plan for when every Michigander aged 16 and over can get the vaccine. We will continue to focus our efforts on removing barriers to access for our people most vulnerable to exposure and those most at risk of serious illness from COVID-19. These vaccines are how we are going to end this pandemic and I urge the Michiganders to develop a plan to get you vaccinated when you are eligible. “
Even with the increase in COVID-19 vaccinations, Khaldun urges everyone to continue practicing preventative measures such as wearing masks, social distancing and frequent hand washing to reduce the spread of the virus until that the vast majority of people have been vaccinated.
Important dates to keep in mind:
8 March: Vaccination is open for Michiganders aged 50 and over with health problems or disabilities, as well as family members and caregivers caring for children with special needs
March 22: Vaccine eligibility extends to all Michiganders 50 years of age and over.
“This important step will allow people most vulnerable to COVID-19, including people with disabilities, to be vaccinated,” said Annie Urasky, director of the Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing Division in the Department of Rights. Michigan civilians. . “We thank the Governor and the MDHHS for this life-saving expansion of eligibility and we will work with them to bring the news to the disabled Michiganders.”
“The governor’s action to expand eligibility has the potential to protect over one million Michiganders with disabilities. We couldn’t be more grateful, ”said Dessa Cosma, executive director of Detroit Disability Power. “This would not have been possible without the actions of dozens of disability rights organizations across the state and we stand ready as a resource for accessible implementation and delivery.”
The state’s health department said it could take “several weeks” beyond April 5 for anyone who wants the vaccine to get an appointment.
Medical conditions that put individuals at an increased risk of serious illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 are eligible for vaccination and include:
- Cancer;
- chronic kidney disease;
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease);
- Down’s syndrome;
- heart disease, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies;
- immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) following a solid organ transplant;
- obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg / m2 or more but <40 kg / m2);
- severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg / m2);
- pregnancy;
- sickle cell anemia;
- smoking;
- and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The following medical conditions can put a person at an increased risk of serious illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 and are therefore also eligible for vaccination:
- asthma (moderate to severe);
- cerebrovascular disease (affects the blood vessels and blood supply to the brain);
- cystic fibrosis;
- hypertension or high blood pressure;
- immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) following a blood or bone marrow transplant;
- immune deficiencies;
- HIV;
- the use of corticosteroids or the use of other immune suppressing drugs;
- neurological conditions, such as dementia;
- liver disease;
- overweight (BMI> 25 kg / m2, but <30 kg / m2);
- pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissue); thalassemia (a type of blood disorder);
- and type 1 diabetes mellitus.
People eligible to receive a vaccine should:
- Check the website of the local health department or hospital for their process or for registration forms; or
- Check for additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid, or Walgreens;
- Residents who do not have internet access or need help navigating the vaccine planning process can call the COVID-19 hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. , From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or can call 2-1-1.
Michigan residents who want more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine. Information about this epidemic is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
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