Two days later, March 24, a regional mass vaccination site selected by the federal government will open at Ford Field in central Detroit to administer 6,000 additional doses per day for two months.
“The safe COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way to protect you, your family and others from the virus,” said Whitmer in a statement. “This will help the country to go back to normal and help the economy.”
The United States hopes to have enough doses for adults by the end of May, but Biden has warned that the process of administering those doses will take time.
As of Wednesday, about 22 percent of Michigan’s population aged 16 and over had been wholly or partially vaccinated; over 2.7 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have been administered to date.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said it could take “several weeks” beyond April 5 for any Michigan resident over 16 who wants the vaccine to get an appointment.
Whitmer set a state goal to vaccinate 70% of residents over 16 to obtain collective immunity.
State health officials are asking health professionals to consider a person’s exposure to the risk of contracting COVID-19 at work and their vulnerability to the disease when scheduling vaccination appointments.
Since medical workers were first vaccinated in late December, the Whitmer government has gradually increased vaccinations, starting with teachers, police, firefighters, daycare centers and people over 65, before moving on to farm and farm workers. food processing.
On Monday this week, medical providers were allowed to allow adults over 50 with disabilities or certain medical conditions to line up for an injection of vaccination with local medical providers, pharmacies and health departments.
Parents and guardians of children with special health needs also became eligible for the vaccine on Monday.
From March 22, disabled individuals aged 16 to 49 and all adults over 50 will be eligible to receive the vaccine within two weeks before the rest of the population can be inoculated for protection against serious illnesses of COVID-19.
“This is welcome news,” said Michelle Roberts, executive director of Disability Rights Michigan, in a statement. “Since the beginning of the vaccine implantation in Michigan, we have been pressing for all people with disabilities to occupy a higher position in the list of priority vaccines.
Medical conditions that qualify any individual over 16 to be vaccinated as of March 22 include:
- asthma
- Cerebrovascular disease
- cystic fibrosis
- dementia and other neurological conditions
- HIV
- hypertension or high blood pressure
- immunological deficiencies
- liver disease
- pulmonary fibrosis
- thalassemia
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- weakened immune system due to blood or bone marrow transplant
- anyone using corticosteroids or other drugs to weaken the immune system
In addition to Meijer and Rite Aid, supermarket chains Kroger and Walmart began scheduling COVID vaccination appointments this week at pharmacies in select Michigan stores.
– Chad Livengood, senior editor at Crain, contributed to this report.