Two months since Michigan administered the first shot, the pace of vaccines is accelerating, but frustrations remain. Here are some strategies to ensure seniors can get a shot.
Michigan has begun to shift a portion of coronavirus vaccines to a network of 41 health clinics serving low-income residents over age 65, and will allow health providers “who are removing barriers to access” to request vaccines for people age 60 and up strategies officials say will ensure the state is equitably distributing what remains a limited supply of vaccines.
The 41 clinics are designated as “federally qualified health centers,” or FQHCs, and are located in medically underserved areas rural and urban throughout the state. They provide services, including primary care, to Michigan’s uninsured, and serve about 730,000 Michiganders, said Phillip Bergquist, operations officer with the Michigan Primary Care Association, which represents the centers.
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Wed. Jan. 27, 2021 | Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer lays out her new legislative year agenda for 2021. WATCH HERE NOW
Senior Capitol Correspondent Tim Skubick, covering his 51st State of the State address, provides analysis and commentary.
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Senior Capitol Correspondent Tim Skubick and panelists from the capital press corps provide analysis following the address. This is Skubick s 51st year covering the Michigan State of the State Address on WKAR.
This special broadcast is made possible with support from Siena Investments, Michigan Academy of Family Physicians, Business Leaders for Michigan, and Michigan Primary Care Association.
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Michigan is still months away from offering COVID-19 vaccines to the general public and it s unclear how or if people will know when it s their turn to get the shot.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has an initial goal of vaccinating 70% of people 16 and older, or about 5.6 million people, by the end of 2021.
State health officials have developed a two-phase plan to prioritize who gets the vaccine first, starting with health care workers and nursing home residents. They will be followed by people in other essential jobs and groups at greatest risk of severe illness based on their age or health conditions.