Vaccine will soon be available to high-risk communities Dec. 22, 2020 FacebookTwitterEmail Whitney Craig, Health and Senior Services Manager with Midland Health Department, answers questions March 20 during a press conference at the Midland County Annex building. Craig said Tuesday that the COVID-19 vaccine soon will be available for at-risk residents.Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram After Midland Memorial Hospital received and began administering the coronavirus vaccine to employees last week, the Midland Health Department’s Whitney Craig said the vaccine will soon be an option for at-risk residents as well. “Phase 1B,” as it’s been dubbed by the state, will be open to individuals age 65 and older and people with pre-existing conditions, Craig said. The conditions that qualify an individual older than 16 years of age for a vaccine are cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD and other heart conditions, an organ transplant, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease and type 2 diabetes.