Macomb County Health Department is increasing suitability for the COVID-19 vaccine

DETROIT – On Saturday, the Macomb County Health Department announced the expansion of priority groups eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The health department has expanded the eligibility to now include the following groups:

• People aged 16 and over with disabilities and / or medical conditions, as well as family members and guardians of their caregiver.

• Guardians and curators who are legally required to visit and who actively visit wards; and attorneys who are required to attend personal proceedings that work in close proximity to others and cannot otherwise be conducted virtually.

“We are encouraged to see some positive trends with our vaccination strategy here in Macomb County,” said Macomb County Executive, Mark Hackel.

“With an ever-growing number of seniors receiving the vaccine and increasing doses being received, we are committed to providing vaccines to individuals with disabilities and legal advocates.”

On Sunday, Hackel will appear on Flashpoint along with other regional leaders to discuss critical issues, including vaccine distribution.

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Andrew Cox, Macomb County health official, said this is the next step in ensuring that all vulnerable populations have safe access to the vaccine.

“During this pandemic, we worked with public health experts and community advocates to develop the most responsive and equitable vaccine strategy for our community,” said Cox.

Michigan announced Friday that all residents 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5, nearly a month before the May 1 date promised by President Joe Biden.

Read more: All adults in Michigan are eligible for the COVID vaccine starting April 5

People ages 16 to 49 with certain medical conditions or disabilities are eligible from March 22, when 50 to 64 year olds can start getting shots under a previous announcement. Two days later, on March 24, a federally selected regional mass vaccination site opens at Ford Field in Detroit to administer an additional 6,000 doses per day for two months.

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Details: Ford Field in Detroit will be a mass vaccination site for Metro Detroit

Michigan has more than reported 2.7 million doses of COVID-19 administered, as of Wednesday, with 12.1% statewide coverage.

New today: Coronavirus in Michigan: Here’s What You Need to Know March 13, 2021

All eligible persons are encouraged to visit Macombgov.org and click on the COVID-19 Vaccine Central link to verify and obtain all the necessary information to get vaccinated.