Michigan residents 16 and older eligible for COVID vaccine by April 5

All Michiganders 16 and older, regardless of health status, will be eligible for a COVID vaccine beginning April 5, the state announces.

For people 16 and older with a disability or medical condition that place them at higher risk from COVID-19, eligibility began March 22, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced. The state had previously said only residents 50 or older, regardless of health issues, were eligible beginning March 22.

The state said that in setting priorities, providers should “consider an individual’s risk of exposure due to their employment and their vulnerability to severe disease in determining how to schedule appointments.”

Friday’s announcement comes a day after President Joe Biden announced that he would direct states to make all adults eligible for a vaccine by May 1. He also said his aim is that the country “may” be able to gather for Independence Day celebrations by July 4.

More specifically, he vowed to more than double the number of federally-run mass vaccination centers, run by FEMA, the U.S. military, and other federal agencies.  Another  4,000 or more active-duty troops will be deployed to support vaccination efforts.

Among those sites will be Ford Field in Detroit, which will be able to administer 6,000 shots a day, according to the White House.

Additionally, vaccines would be delivered to an additional 700 community health centers across the country that specifically reach out to underserved communities, increasing the number to 950 centers in all, and would double the number of pharmacies participating in the federal pharmacy program to 20,000.

This article originally appeared in Bridge Michigan, read more here.