All Michigan adults eligible for COVID-19 vaccine within about three weeks
Anyone 16 or older with disabilities or chronic medical conditions are eligible March 22 followed by everyone age 16 or older on April 5
LANSING, Mich. (WJRT) - Within about three weeks, everyone in Michigan will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccines.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Friday that everyone age 16 or older with disabilities or chronic medical conditions can receive the vaccine. On April 5, everyone age 16 or older in Michigan will be eligible for the vaccines.
Michiganders age 50 and older with chronic medical conditions became eligible for the vaccine on Monday while everyone age 50 and older regardless of their medical status already were scheduled to be eligible on March 22.
Appointments will be necessary to receive the vaccine from many providers and long waits are still possible. Health care providers are encouraged to continue vaccinating higher risk residents first, including senior citizens, essential workers and frontline workers.
“The safe COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way to protect you, your family and others from the virus,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “It will help the country get back to normal and help the economy.”
Nearly 1 million people in Michigan have received more than 2.7 million doses the vaccine since it became available in December.
“I urge all eligible Michiganders to get one of the three COVID-19 vaccines. It is essential to getting our country back to normal, so that we can all hug our families, get back to work, go to restaurants, send our kids to school, play sports and get together again,” Whitmer said.
Michigan’s Phase 1C of the four-part vaccination schedule starts on March 22 and Phase 2 starts April 5 based on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services schedule.
“We are pleased to lay out our plan for when every Michigander age 16 and up will be able to get a vaccine,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan’s chief medical executive. “We will continue to focus our efforts on removing barriers to access for our most vulnerable to exposure and those at highest risk of severe illness due to COVID-19.”
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says the vaccine schedule is accelerating due to concerns about disparities in life expectancy and to remove barriers to the vaccines. President Joe Biden has promised enough vaccine for all American adults by May 1.
Residents hoping to receive the vaccine should call their local health department or other vaccination sites like local Meijer or Rite Aid pharmacies to schedule an appointment. Call 211 or the Michigan coronavirus hotline at 1-888-535-6136 for assistance scheduling an appointment.
Long waiting lists are expected for the vaccine for the next couple months while supplies remain tight.
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