Michigan Expands Coronavirus Vaccination Eligibility for Residents 50 and Older

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday it is expanding the number of residents who qualify for inoculations.

Starting Monday, March 8, residents 50 years and older with pre-existing conditions such as cancer and heart disease are eligible for vaccinations. On March 22, eligibility opens up for everyone age 50 and older.

“We are headed in the right direction. And we just ask that people remain patient as we work around the clock to get more shots in arms, and that we redouble our efforts towards staying safe in the interim.” –Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer continued to urge patience Tuesday.

“We are headed in the right direction. And we just ask that people remain patient as we work around the clock to get more shots in arms, and that we redouble our efforts towards staying safe in the interim.”

The move comes the same week the state is receiving nearly 500,000 doses, including 87,000 doses of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun says the new vaccine is easier to store and administer. 

“Now the nice thing about this new vaccine is that you only need one dose to get fully protected. You don’t have to worry about coming back to get a second shot to get complete protection,” she says.  

Department spokesperson Lynn Sutfin says the changes have a lot to do with availability of the inoculations. 

“It follows the announcement by President Biden that ramped up production is going to provide enough doses for 300 million Americans by the end of May, coupled with the fact that we had approval and started to receive Johnson and Johnson vaccine here in Michigan this week,” she says. 

Sutfin says inoculating essential workers is still a priority but the state believes it’s more important to “accelerate” residents in the 50 to 64 age group. The standards are flexible, she says.

“So we’ve always said that, you know, they aren’t necessarily going to follow one after the other, it’s not going to be ABC, you can have different phases all being vaccinated in parallel. So this really isn’t a departure. It is an acceleration of this particular group.” 

According to the census, this change will make about 2 million more Michigan residents eligible for the vaccine.