Detroit unveils new plans to vaccinate as many people as possible

DETROIT – Coronavirus vaccinations are expected to increase in Michigan this week.

As of Monday, all Michiganders aged 16 and over will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.

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The state is expected to receive a record number of doses, almost 620,000.

The shipment arrives at a time when Michigan reports a peak in COVID. The state registered 8,413 new cases on Saturday, the highest single-day count in four months.

Because the numbers are so high and some families are returning from spring break, the Detroit Public Schools Community District is disrupting face-to-face education.

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READING: Detroit public schools will temporarily switch to virtual learning after spring break

The city of Detroit is launching public service announcements that show Detroit residents talking about their experience with the vaccine. It is not the only strategy that the city has to vaccinate everyone.

“As the weather gets nice outside, people are letting their guard down. Let’s be honest, ”said Denise Fair, Detroit’s director of public health. “Our numbers are very worrying. We are going in the wrong direction – 15% percent positivity. Just a few weeks ago, we were at a mere 3%. “

To try to combat that number, in addition to all the efforts already made – the city will now be accelerating, trying to give more Detroit residents a chance. Now, qualified teenagers will be able to receive the vaccine during “community Saturdays”.

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“We not only have the TCF Center in the city center, but we also have community Saturdays, where we are taking the vaccine directly to Detroit residents in their neighborhoods and it has been a great success,” said Fair.

Health officials have been visiting mental health and substance abuse websites to help people as well. The city said it administered more than 200,000 doses of the vaccine, but with the addition of pop-up vaccination sites, they hope to administer even more.

“We are setting up pop-ups based on where COVID-19 was most prominent at the height of the pandemic and therefore we have a number of pop-ups across the city,” said Fair. “We in the city are bringing the vaccine directly to the inhabitants of Detroit in a number of different ways.”

An important announcement about the vaccination is due to be made Monday by Mayor Mike Duggan.