Michigan to open COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to people 50+

Michiganders 50 and older with underlying health conditions or disabilities can get COVID-19 vaccines starting Monday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday.

Family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs also will be eligible for shots. 

“All other individuals over age 50 (will be) eligible March 22,” said Tiffany Brown, Whitmer’s communications director. 

The expanded eligibility comes as Michigan stands to get its largest shipment yet this week of nearly half a million total doses of coronavirus vaccines, state health officials said, with the addition of 82,700 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

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The shipment includes 212,940 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine along with 196,400 doses of the Moderna vaccine — at a time when demand for the shots far exceeds supply.

“That’s great news,” Whitmer said in a video posted on Fox17’s website during a visit Wednesday to a Dearborn bridge targeted for improvements under her budget plan. “We’re gonna be one of the first states in the nation and it’s because we’ve got this many vaccines on hand. We’ve been hitting our 50,000 mark for 16 days straight,” Whitmer said as she donned a mask, hard hat and construction vest.

“And with these additional vaccines, we could take it higher than that because the Biden administration is confident that more and more vaccines are coming online and available. So, we’re excited about that.” 

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that with the use of the Defense Production Act, Merck will help Johnson & Johnson produce more vaccines more quickly, allowing the federal government to manufacture enough doses for all adult Americans by the end of May. 

Since December, Michigan has gotten 2.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and has injected nearly 2.3 million doses into arms, according to state data. 

More: Whitmer: Nursing homes can reopen to visitors under new public health order

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State health officials say the goal is to immunize at least 70% of Michiganders by the end of the year.

Hundreds of thousands of people remain on a waiting list for a vaccine through Oakland County’s Health Division, and appointments for shots through the Macomb County Health Department are snapped up in minutes each Tuesday morning when its COVID-19 vaccine hotline opens up. 

People have started vaccine hunters social media sites to help one another find scarce vaccine appointments. 

The state’s COVID-19 dashboard shows that 44% of people age 65-74 have at least one dose, with 48.6% of those 75 or older having at least one dose. Only 13% of people 50 to 64 have received at least one dose.

Those eligible for shots in Michigan now are health care workers, people living in long-term care facilities, law enforcement officers, K-12 teachers, child care workers and all people ages 65 and older. Food processing and agricultural workers were also added to the statewide eligibility list on Monday. 

Lynn Sutfin, a spokesperson for the state health department, acknowledged, however, that some local health departments have added other groups of people to the priority list. The city of Detroit, for example, is now vaccinating any resident 60 and older and will also offer immunizations to anyone 55 and older — no matter where they live — who drives a Detroiter to a vaccine appointment. It’s part of the city’s Good Neighbor program. The city expanded eligibility Tuesday to include manufacturing workers. 

“Local health departments have the option to prioritize the groups within the guidance they feel are most at risk and at highest need of vaccination,” Sutfin said. “No shot in the arm is ever wasted as getting this vaccine is our way out of the pandemic and returning to some sense of normalcy.”

The Michigan Health and Hospital Association released a statement Wednesday saying it supports the expanded eligibility.

“The significant increase in vaccine supply to our state this week is an encouraging sign that we will be able to vaccinate 70% of our adult population more quickly than originally planned,” the statement said. “The three vaccines currently available have all been proved safe and highly effective; we urge Michigan residents to get whatever vaccine is available to them when it’s their turn. Doing so will ensure we prevent future COVID-19 outbreaks, save lives, and help our businesses and schools return to normal operations as soon as possible.”

Former Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, who now is president of the Small Business Association of Michigan, also lauded the change, saying in a statement Wednesday: 

“The Small Business Association of Michigan has continually advocated for a simpler eligibility system for the COVID-19 vaccine that is not complicated to administer and prioritizes those with the highest risk of serious illness or death. Today’s move to open vaccines on March 8 for those 50 and older with preexisting conditions, followed by anyone over 50 two weeks later, accomplishes both of these objectives.”

State health officials urge people who are newly eligible to:

• Check the website of the local health department or your hospital to find out how to get an appointment.
• Check additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid or Cardinal Health (for residents of the Upper Peninsula).
• Those who do not have internet access or who need help scheduling a vaccine should call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1), 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. or 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat-Sun. Help also is available by calling 2-1-1. 

More resources are available at Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.

Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: kshamus@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus. 

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