March 12, 2021
COVID-19 VACCINE ELIGIBILITY NEWS
Today, it was announced that all Michigan residents age 16 and up will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5. People ages 16-49 with certain medical conditions or disabilities will qualify starting March 22, when 50- to 64-year-olds can also begin getting shots under a previous announcement. On March 24, a federally selected regional mass vaccination site will open at Ford Field in Detroit to administer an additional 6,000 doses a day for two months. More detailed information on both of these developments can be found below.
With this information, we wanted to share a few different links that some constituents have been successful in scheduling an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine:
If you are still wanting to learn more about the vaccine, and how it helps our body combat the virus, take a look at our special coffee hour we hosted last month to ask just those questions.
As always, to find the most up to date information, please visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or go to Oakgov.com/COVID.
COVID-19 VACCINE ELIGIBILITY EXPANDED TO AGES 16+
On Friday, March 12, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) officials announced the state is expanding vaccination eligibility for Michiganders ages 16 and older with disabilities or medical conditions that put them at high risk of negative COVID-19 outcome beginning Monday, March 22. The state is also announcing that beginning Monday, April 5, all Michiganders aged 16 and up, who were not previously eligible, will be eligible to receive a vaccine.
Here’s the current COVID-19 vaccine eligibility timeline:
Monday, March 8
- Michiganders aged 50+, with medical conditions or disabilities
- Caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs
Monday, March 22
- All Michiganders aged 50+
- Michiganders aged 16+, with medical conditions or disabilities
Monday, April 5
- All Michiganders aged 16+
With the expanded vaccine eligibility, providers are still encouraged to schedule appointments and allocate vaccinations to residents based on highest risk, including older residents, essential workers, and frontline workers. The most recent vaccine prioritization guidelines can be found online at Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.
Medical conditions that place individuals at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 are eligible for vaccination and include:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2) and severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Smoking
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus
The following medical conditions might place an individual at an increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19, and are therefore also eligible for vaccination:
- Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
- Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other immune weakening medicines
- Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
- Liver disease
- Overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2, but < 30 kg/m2)
- Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
- Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Those eligible to receive a vaccine should:
- Check the website of the local health department or hospital to find out their process or for registration forms; or
- Check additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid or Cardinal Health (U.P. residents); or
- Residents who don’t have access to the internet or who need assistance navigating the vaccine scheduling process can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or can call 2-1-1.
It is important to note that, while supplies are increasing, there remains a limited amount of vaccine available, so there may be a waitlist for available appointments. As more vaccine becomes available, the state will continue to move more quickly through the priority groups.
FORD FIELD IN DETROIT TO BE REGIONAL COMMUNITY VACCINATION SITE
On Friday, March 12, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that an eight-week mass vaccination site with the capacity to administer 6,000 doses each day will open on March 24 at Ford Field in Detroit to serve residents in the broader southeast Michigan region. The Biden Administration in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) selected southeast Michigan for this major new community vaccination site.
Hours of operation
The Ford Field site will operate from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., seven days a week, for eight weeks under the federal government’s vaccination pilot program. The facility will be managed by the State of Michigan with support from FEMA, Wayne County, the City of Detroit, Ford Field, Meijer, Henry Ford Health System, and the Lions.
Vaccine doses
Vaccine doses administered at the Ford Field Mass Vaccination Site will be based on the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to vaccinate our most vulnerable populations, and it will be in addition to Michigan’s regular statewide vaccine allotment. First doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be offered at the site for the first three weeks of operation. Those vaccinated within that timeframe will be guaranteed a second dose during fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks of operation. The brand of vaccine to be supplied during the final two weeks of the of the mass vaccination site has not yet been determined.
Cost
The vaccine will be offered at no cost, and insurance is not required, nor will it be requested at the vaccination center.
Register for an appointment
Any Michigan resident who is currently eligible to receive the vaccine under the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) vaccine prioritization guidance will be able to register for an appointment. The site is not yet taking reservations, but specific instructions on how to book an appointment will be announced in the coming days. The most recent vaccine prioritization guidance can be found online at Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.
Parking information
Free parking will be available at the vaccination site. For those who indicate, during the registration process, they need assistance obtaining transportation to and from the vaccination site, the state is working to provide free of charge ride share options.
STATE ASSISTANCE
Last week, the Michigan legislature passed a $4.2 billion COVID-19 relief supplemental bill that included state and federal funding that was allocated to Michigan back in December. As these bills were passed, there were concerns about provisions that tied hundreds of millions in funding to the governor and MDHHS being stripped of their authority to make decisions regarding public health and mitigation efforts during this pandemic. Additionally, provisions in the bills that provide funding to our school districts create unnecessary challenges for schools, teachers, and administrators as they work toward safely returning to in-person learning.
This week, on Tuesday, Governor Whitmer signed the pair of supplemental bills (House Bill 4047 and House Bill 4048) but vetoed House Bill 4049 and Senate Bill 1, the two bills tie-barred to the funding that would have stripped MDHHS and local school districts of their authority to combat this pandemic.
Funding within the two bills that were signed include:
- $283 million in federal emergency rental assistance
- $2.25 per hour wage increase for direct care workers
- $555 million in COVID-19 testing and contact tracing assistance
- $110 million for vaccine distribution
However, because House Bill 4049 and SB 1 were vetoed, this leaves a significant amount of funding left to be negotiated further. While we don’t know the status of when or how these dollars will be released, we will work to update our constituents as we learn more.
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
Big news also came from Congress this week, with the passage of a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. Included in the American Rescue Plan are:
- $1,400 one-time stimulus paycheck to those who qualify
- $2,800 goes to married couples filing joint federal income tax
- $300 per week for unemployment insurance extended through September 6
- This bill also ensures that the first $10,200 one receives in unemployment benefits in 2020 is tax-exempt for those in households making less than $150,000
- $15 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant program
- This bill could lift 117,000 Michigan children out of poverty, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, by expanding the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit and putting money in the pockets of hardworking Michigan families
- $14 billion for researching, developing, distributing, administering, and strengthening confidence in vaccines
- $25 billion into rental and utility assistance
- $350 billion into state, local, and tribal relief
- $3.92 billion for Michigan’s K-12 schools
- $28.66 billion dollars for restaurants hardest hit by the pandemic through the Restaurant Revitalization Program
- An additional $1.25 billion for the SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operator Grant Program
If you would like to learn more about this federal COVID-19 relief package, you can reach out to your congressperson, who voted directly on this legislation.
When we know more about how and when to apply for grant and loan dollars, we will be sure to update you!
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Bills introduced to establish Indigenous Peoples’ Day, make Election Day a state holiday
This week, Sen. Jeff Irwin and I reintroduced our legislation to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Michigan, as well as to make Election Day a state holiday.
Sen. Irwin’s bill, Senate Bill 221, would establish Indigenous People’s Day in Michigan, whereas Senate Bill 222, introduced by our office, would make Michigan the ninth state to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day and would designate Election Day in November as an official state holiday.
Currently, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Vermont are the only states to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Both bills have been referred to the Senate Government Operations Committee.
ELCRA expansion efforts
Additionally, this week legislation was introduced to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
Discrimination of any kind is unacceptable — it hurts our families and our communities, and it deters growth. Yet, it sadly is still legal in our state. It is long overdue for Michigan to include protections for the LGBTQ community in our state’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
I am a proud co-sponsor of this legislation and will continue to fight to ensure that everyone is protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
You can learn more about this legislation from an interview with Sen. Jeremy Moss, Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, and Rep. Tim Sneller.
Mallory McMorrow
State Senator
13th District