Michigan residents can start registering for the COVID-19 mass vaccination site at Ford Field in Detroit, which will open on March 24.
The site will operate seven days a week, from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm, for eight weeks. The site will administer 6,000 doses per day when it is opened with the intention of increasing capacity.
Henry Ford Health System is operating as the site’s medical director, overseeing the administration of vaccines and medical care, as well as support for site operations.
Appointments will be made through Meijer, Henry Ford said in a press release.
Registration is available with three options:
- Online at meijer.com/register/CL2021
- Send a text message with EndCOVID to 75049
- Call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 hotline at (888) n535-6136 (press 1). Call from Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays, from 8 am to 1 pm. The expectation is that the call center has a long waiting time, so calling is recommended only for people who cannot register online or by SMS.
Those who have registered for the vaccine will be notified by voice or text when it is their turn to make an appointment. Vaccine appointments will be scheduled a few days in advance, according to a press release distributed Monday night.
It is unclear whether those who have already registered through Meijer will be added to the list of eligibility for the Ford Field website, but the registration now includes an option to select Ford Field.
Henry Ford is the only Michigan healthcare system chosen to provide support at the facility, which will be administered by the state of Michigan. Other support partners include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Wayne County, City of Detroit, Ford Field, Detroit Lions and Meijer.
At Ford Field, Henry Ford will use the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index to prioritize vaccinations. The index uses 15 factors, including poverty, lack of access to vehicles, crowded housing and others, to determine who should get the vaccine earlier.
The doses used for vulnerable populations in the index will be sent in addition to the federal government’s regular allocation to the state, the health system said.
During the first three weeks of operation, the Ford Field site will administer the Pfizer vaccine and those receiving the first dose will be guaranteed a second dose within four to six weeks. The vaccine subsequently offered at the site has not yet been determined.
The vaccine will be offered free of charge and insurance is not required. The place will also have free parking.
Any Michigan resident currently eligible to receive the vaccine under state guidelines will be able to apply for an appointment. That includes:
- Adults over 50 with disabilities or certain medical conditions
- Parents and guardians of children with special health care needs
- Agricultural and food processing workers
- Elementary and high school teachers
- Child care workers
- Police officers, including prison and penitentiary agents
- Health professionals
- People who live and work in long-term care institutions
As of March 22, individuals with disabilities aged 16 to 49 and all adults over 50 will be eligible to receive the vaccine. Residents aged 16 and over will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5.
As of Friday, about 23 percent of Michigan’s population aged 16 or older had been wholly or partially vaccinated; over 2.9 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have been administered to date.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has set a state goal to vaccinate 70% of residents over 16 to obtain collective immunity.