Michigan is hoping to begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens as soon as next week. | stock photo
Michigan is hoping to begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens as soon as next week. | stock photo
The state of Michigan is ready to move forward with the next round of vaccinations, but there are questions about whether it can actually be pulled off.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan's senior citizens (65 and older), who are part of the group classified as "B1," will be offered the vaccine, alongside frontline workers such as teachers and police officers, Bridge Michigan reported.
To date, the state’s performance has been lacking, and it is ranked among the worst in the nation in terms of number of vaccines administered. As of Jan. 6, just over 152,000 Michigan residents had received their first dose, despite the fact that the state has been provided with 665,850 doses.
Only six other states have lower vaccination rates. The governor predicted the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report would show the state ranked in the top five. Instead, it showed 37 other states vaccinating at a higher rate. Michigan's chief medical officer, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, said the state had worked with hospitals during the holidays to speed up the rollout.
“I think it's fair to say no one in this country is pleased with the speed of vaccinations,” Khaldun told Bridge Michigan, noting hiccups in vaccination distribution across much of the nation.
Other frontline workers who will be offered the new wave of vaccinations are grocery store employees, agriculture workers, law enforcement officers and corrections officers.
The senior citizens who get the vaccine have the most to gain from it. AARP of Michigan reported that 95% of all COVID-19 deaths have been those aged 50 and older. The state has 1.7 million residents who fall within that age bracket, but there are concerns about infrastructure, as administering the COVID-19 vaccine is more complex than handing out flu shots.
One of the biggest challenges health department officials will face is organizing vaccination clinics without knowing when and how many vaccines will be made available. They urge residents to be patient as preparations are made for the influx of new vaccine doses.
“Is it incredibly challenging to have something ready for next week when it was supposed to be ready for next month? Absolutely. Do I wish we had 10 more hours of the day? Absolutely,” Susan Ringler-Cerniglia, Washtenaw County Health Department, told Bridge Michigan.
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