Michigan to open COVID-19 vaccine to people over age 50 starting March 8

Michigan residents age 50 and older with underlying health conditions can get a COVID-19 vaccine starting Monday, March 8, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday.

Family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs also will be eligible for shots.

Whitmer’s communications director Tiffany Brown said in a story published in the Detroit Free Press Wednesday all other individuals over age 50 will be eligible March 22.

Lynn Sutfin, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson, said Wednesday to the Oakland Press more details are to come later regarding the expanded eligibility.

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan said in a statement Wednesday it is gearing up to begin offering vaccination clinics for Michiganders age 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver families and guardians who care for children with special health care needs. The expanded eligibility is effective Monday, March 8.

“We are excited to help our communities bring a quicker end to the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccinate more people,” said Lisa Peacock, health officer with the Health Department of Northwest Michigan. “Please know that it will take time for us to coordinate appointments for those currently on our waiting list and these new groups who will be signing up.

“But this is a great leap for us to move toward vaccinating 70% of our residents 16 years and older.”

As of Tuesday, March 3, a total of 17,237 does of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered by the Health Department of Northwest Michigan at 78 various clinics.

“Today, MDHHS will be putting out guidance that people age 50 and over who have a disability and medical frailty are going to be able to get the vaccine starting March 8,” Whitmer said to the Oakland Press. “Two weeks later, it will be everyone 50 and up. For the next two weeks, because we have a historic number of vaccines coming into the state, we want to be able to expand this and we are in a position to do that.”

The expanded eligibility for vaccines comes as Michigan is expected to receive its largest shipment of vaccine this week of nearly half a million total doses, state health official said, with the addition of 82,700 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

In addition to the Johnson & Johnson doses, Michigan received this week 423,380 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine of which 211,690 are first doses.

Since December, Michigan has received 2.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and has injected nearly 2.3 million doses into arms of residents, according to data from the state health department.

State health officials say the goal is to immunize at least 70% of Michiganders by the end of the year.

The state’s COVID-19 dashboard is showing 44% of people age 65-74 have at least one dose, with 48.6% of those 75 or older having at least one dose. Only around 13% of Michigan adults age 5-64 have received at least one dose.

Currently, state vaccine providers, including health departments, hospitals, pharmacies, Meijer and federally qualified community health centers are administering vaccines to eligible residents in Phases 1A, 1B and 1C in accordance with the state health department vaccine prioritization guidance.

Those eligible for shots in Michigan now are health care workers, people living in long-term care facilities, law enforcement officers, K-12 teachers, child care workers and all people ages 65 and older. Food processing and agricultural workers were added to the statewide eligibility list on Monday.

The guidance adds new eligibility groups as the state’s overall vaccine supply increases.

Sutfin said in a story in the Detroit Free Press local health departments have the option to prioritize the groups within the guidance they feel are most at risk and at highest need of vaccination.

“No shot in the arm is ever wasted, as getting this vaccine is our way out of the pandemic and returning to some sense of normalcy.”

Brian Peters, CEO of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, said his association and member hospitals and health systems “are pleased to see eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination expand in the coming days and weeks to include those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special healthcare needs, and then to all Michiganders 50 and older.

“Hospitals and health systems will continue to partner with their local health departments and other providers to vaccinate all eligible and vulnerable populations as quickly as possible,” Peters added. “The significant increase in vaccine supply to our state this week is an encouraging sign that we will be able to vaccinate 70% of our adult population more quickly than originally planned.”

Peters said the three vaccines currently available have all been proved safe and highly effective, and he urges Michigan residents to get whatever vaccine is available to them when it’s their turn.

“Doing so will ensure we prevent future COVID-19 outbreaks, save lives and help our businesses and schools return to normal operations as soon as possible,” Peters said.

John Karasinski, director of communications for the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, said based on the announcement from the state, anyone that is younger than 50 that does not fall within any of the existing prioritization groups would not be eligible to receive the vaccine.

“That would mean anyone who is not an essential worker, mortuary worker or any of the other professions that that state has outlined,” Karasinski said.

To view the entire Michigan COVID-19 vaccination interim prioritization guidance, visit www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/MI_COVID-19_Vaccination_Prioritization_Guidance_ 2152021_716344_7.pdf.