A healthy Michigan resident over 50 can receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as March 22. | Unsplash/CDC
A healthy Michigan resident over 50 can receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as March 22. | Unsplash/CDC
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently announced that COVID-19 vaccine availability has been expanded to include Michigan residents age 50 or older who have underlying conditions or disabilities, beginning Monday, March 8, according to Bridge Michigan.
The expansion is in response to the sudden spike in the number of vaccines the state is now receiving -- nearly 500,000 doses this week compared to 237,000 doses per week on average for the last five weeks. Vaccine makers have promised that millions of more doses will be delivered.
“The more people we can get the safe and effective vaccine, the faster we can return to a sense of normalcy,” Whitmer said in a statement, reported by Bridge Michigan. “I urge all eligible Michiganders to get one of the three COVID-19 vaccines to protect you, your family and your community.”
The governor said that availability will expand to include all people aged 50 and older in the upcoming weeks. Michigan residents who are caregivers and guardians caring for children with special health care needs will also be eligible.
The state’s current vaccination plan lists the kind of health conditions that are being prioritized for those over 50, posted on Michigan.gov. These include: COPD, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Others are outlined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The list also includes those who smoke because they are at higher risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19.
Dr. Tiffany Sanford, chief medical officer at The Wellness Plan Medical Centers in Detroit, said all five Wellness sites in Detroit, Oak Park and Pontiac will likely be offering vaccines because of the increased number of vaccines on the way.
“I’ve instructed my staff not to nitpick the details over a patient," Sanford told Bridge Michigan. "If we have a vaccine left from a person we have to turn away, that’s a vaccine that we have to find someone else to give."
Sanford said that she hasn’t received instructions from the state or local health departments about whether residents will have to provide medical records as evidence of underlying conditions.
"Ultimately, it’s about getting vaccines in as many arms as possible," Sanford said, according to Bridge Michigan.
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