March 22 – DETROIT – Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said on Monday that adults whose job requires them to work in the city and that Detroit residents who work in the city or suburbs are now eligible to receive a COVID- vaccine. 19.
Eligibility is for those who need to report to work, not for people who can work remotely. The city has also expanded access to all Detroit residents age 16 and older with underlying disabilities or health problems, including caregivers and guardians.
The two groups – more than 400,000 people – potentially constitute the largest expansion of eligibility in the city to date, depending on how many companies require employees to return, said city spokesman John Roach.
City health department staff will also carry out vaccinations on site at any company that may have 100 or more employees present at the same time.
“I really think the city could be fully reopened in the summer,” said Duggan. “We have to act now.”
For the next two weeks, Duggan said he is focused on who has to go back to work in the city.
“You work at any company in the city … it doesn’t matter. If your job puts you in touch with other people, you can call (313) 230-0505 and make an appointment this week,” said Duggan. “Or if you are a Detroiter who is going to work in the suburbs, you are eligible.”
A 2018 study by the University of Michigan found that 65,715 Detroit residents and 177,800 non-residents work in the city, while 148,000 Detroit residents work in the suburbs.
The expansion of eligibility occurs at a time when the city expects to receive a large allocation of doses from the federal government in the coming days.
Denise Fair, the city’s director of public health, said the Detroit Department of Health is awaiting confirmation of when and how many doses it will receive on its first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is expected next week. Once the shipment is confirmed, the city will launch a mass vaccination site at the Northwest Activity Center at 18100 Meyers Road by the end of the month, she said.
“We look forward to receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccines so that we can provide our residents with another highly effective vaccine. Detroit residents will now have the option of selecting which vaccine they will receive and where they will receive it,” said Fair.
Increase in positivity rate
The city’s positivity rate has more than doubled in the past 10 days, as it approaches 200,000 doses administered.
“The positivity rate for Detroit’s COVID-19 has jumped from 2.8% to 6.3%. Our numbers are going in the wrong direction,” said Fair. “Even in terms of our hospitalizations, they are also increasing. Just a few weeks ago, we were in 69 hospitalized patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and now we are 91. We are sounding the alarm.”
Both problems mimic what is happening across the state. The positivity of the Michigan COVID-19 test reached 7.47% last week, an increase in 10 weeks. As of Monday, adult hospitalizations for the virus are at 1,404, an increase of 50% over last week, when there were 936 hospitalizations.
The state on Monday opened eligibility for all residents aged 50 and over and people aged 16 to 49 with certain medical conditions or disabilities.
All Michigan residents aged 16 and over become eligible for injections on April 5. President Joe Biden asked states to open eligibility for all adults by May 1.
The city had 31,544 confirmed cases of the virus, resulting in 1,864 deaths.
In Detroit, 15% of residents received at least one dose of the vaccine. This is compared to 27% in Wayne County, 23% in Macomb, 27% in Oakland, 29% in Washtenaw and 26% in Michigan.
The city administered 85% of the 190,730 doses it received and has about 50,000 appointments scheduled between the TCF Center, Saturdays for the Elderly and satellite clinics organized by the health department.
Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II and a dozen members of the Michigan Congressional delegation visited the Ford Field mass vaccination clinic on Monday as it prepares to open this week. The site will distribute 5,000 vaccines a day at the site and another 1,000 a day through mobile clinics over the next eight weeks.
On Monday, Meijer registered 110,000 people on the FEMA website. Some 14,000 people have appointments scheduled and another 20,000 appointment invitations will be sent by the end of the day, officials said.
The site is operating with the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Henry Ford Health System is providing medical supervision.
How to schedule a vaccine appointment
To make an appointment at Ford Field, register online at clinic.meijer.com/register/CL2021. Send the text message “EndCovid” to 75049 and select Ford Field as the location. Those who are unable to go online can call the MDHHS COVID-19 Hotline at (888) 535-6136 (press 1).
Any major employer capable of aligning at least 100 employees in advance can ask the Detroit Department of Health to perform vaccinations on the spot by calling the Detroit Means Business call center at (844) 333-8249.
Saturdays for the elderly are now expanded to be called “Community Saturdays” for all those eligible. Residents can call (313) 230-0505 from 9 am to 6 pm, Monday through Friday, to schedule appointments at the TCF Center or on Saturday for Seniors.
Appointments are available at the following locations:
– COGIC Institutional Greater Emmanuel in 19190 Schaefer
– New Providence Baptist at 18211 Plymouth
– Galilee Baptist Church at 5251 E. Outer Drive
– Great Faith Ministries International at 10735 Grand River in Oakman
– Grace Community Church at 21001 Moross Road (second dose only)
– Kemeny recreation center at 2260 S. Fort Street (second dose only)
– Chapel of the Society at 7707 W. Outer Drive (only second dose)
– Second Ebenezer Church in 14601 Dequindre (only second dose)
Twitter: @SarahRahal_
Copywriter Craig Mauger contributed