(WXYZ) – The state of Michigan is considering prioritizing different groups for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The State Department of Health and Human Services said it would consider prioritizing:
• Workers in locations where high rates of transmission and / or outbreaks have occurred.
• Workers at increased risk of serious illness based on age or underlying medical conditions.
MDHHS says vaccine providers across the state have been working hard to accelerate vaccinations to help the state achieve its goal of vaccinating 70% of Michigand residents aged 16 and over.
The state is following the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to prioritize the distribution of vaccines. CDC recommendations are based on contributions from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The MDHHS says that the priorities may change as more information about the vaccine’s effectiveness and additional vaccination products becomes available.
The timing of vaccination initiation in one phase depends on the guidance of the CDC or ACIP, the supply of the vaccine from the manufacturer, how the vaccine is allocated from the federal level to Michigan and the ability to administer the vaccine to populations, says the state. As Michigan obtains additional vaccine allocations, MDHHS will be able to accelerate the process and reach priority groups more quickly.
Sub-prioritization of essential frontline workers is necessary due to the limited supply of vaccines, according to the MDHHS.
Michigan has the capacity to vaccinate up to 80,000 people a day, but the supply of doses of COVID-19 remains limited, reports the Associated Press.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
See one global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See the full coverage in our Coronavirus continuous coverage page.
Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we work to help people financially affected by the coronavirus. We have all the information about everything that is available to help you in this crisis and how to access it.