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Michigan will extend vaccine eligibility to all people 50 years of age and older starting March 22 and all people 16 years of age and older starting April 5, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on Friday. The announcement came a day after President Biden’s prime-time speech, in which he called on states to expand eligibility to all adults by May 1.
“Almost one million Michiganders of all races have already been safely vaccinated,” Ms. Whitmer, Democrat, said in a statement. “I urge all eligible Michiganders to receive one of the three Covid-19 vaccines.”
Currently, everyone in Michigan 65 and over is eligible for vaccination, as are people over 50 with health conditions that would increase their risk of serious complications from Covid-19, including obesity. hypertension or diabetes. On March 22, all adults with such health conditions will also be eligible.
According to a New York Times database, 19% of Michiganders received at least one dose of the vaccine and 11% were fully immunized, putting the state’s pace around the US average.
Earlier this week, Alaska became the first state to open eligibility for all ages 16 or older, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox announced that all adults there would be eligible for the vaccine on April 1.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis said on Friday he expected all adults to be eligible in his state in mid-April, but he hasn’t set a specific date.
Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr Cara Christ told reporters on Friday that the state plans to make vaccines eligible for anyone 16 years of age and older by May.
A number of other states, including Texas and New York, announced eligibility expansions to new categories this week.
In Connecticut, the state had previously planned to allow people 16 and older to get an immunization appointment starting May 3.
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