As the rate of coronavirus infections continues to rise anew across Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is working to counter those climbing numbers by boosting the number of residents in the state receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Today, Gov. Whitmer raised Michigan’s COVID-19 vaccination goal from 50,000 to 100,000 shots per day. The new goal is based on the state’s successful efforts to expand equitable and efficient vaccine administration by partnering with private and public organizations in communities across the state, and is made possible by continuous week-over-week increases in the number of vaccines allocated to the state of Michigan.
For 38 days now, the state has met or exceeded its original goal of administering 50,000 vaccinations per day. To date, Michigan has administered 4,207,102 vaccines, moving the state closer to its goal of equitably vaccinating at least 70-percent of Michigan residents aged 16 and older as soon as possible.
The governor says today, “Michigan is making great strides as our rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines continues ramping up,” and adds, “The safe, effective vaccines are one of the best ways to protect you and your family from coronavirus, and they are essential to getting our country back to normal so we can hug our families, get back to work, send our kids to school, and get together again. These new, higher vaccine targets are a testament to what we can do together, and we need to meet them so we can keep rebuilding our economy. Thanks to capable leadership at the national level, heroic efforts by frontline workers who are working around the clock, and the dedication of millions of Michiganders, we will put this pandemic behind us. I urge everyone to continue doing their part with masks, social distancing, and hand washing, and when you are eligible, get your vaccine.”
In next week’s shipment, the Biden Administration will increase the state’s direct allocation by 66,020 doses for a total of 620,040 vaccines, a weekly record high for Michigan. That allocation includes 147,800 doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In addition to the state’s direct allocation, the governor also applauds the millions of additional doses being sent to federally partnered retail pharmacies across the country, including numerous locations in Michigan.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy for Health, says, “The state is working hand-in-hand with health care systems, local health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, primary care providers and others to get Michiganders vaccinated with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible,” and concludes, “Providers have administered more than four million doses in just four months and we praise and appreciate their willingness to serve their communities, and are confident they will meet and exceed the new 100,000 shots per day goal.”
