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COVID-19 vaccines in Michigan: What you need to know about eligibility, registration

Detroit Free Press - 2/6/2021

Michiganders are wondering, "When am I going to be able to get a coronavirus vaccine?"

Here's a guide to help you understand who's eligible for a shot now, and the different ways to sign up to get one.

Just keep in mind that supplies are very limited, and it could be weeks or even months before people who are eligible right now can all get vaccinated.

Who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in Michigan?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created priority groups to help states determine who should get the first injections.

It defines Phase 1A priority group as health care personnel and people living and working in long-term care facilities. Group 1B includes front-line essential workers such as paramedics and first responders as well as people ages 75 years and older.

But each state has the authority to tailor vaccine prioritization in a way that best meets its needs. Michigan has now opened up vaccine eligibility to:

Phase 1A: Long-term care facility staff and residents as well as health care workers. Phase 1B: People ages 75 and older; front-line state and federal workers; teachers and school staff; child care workers, law enforcement officers, including jail and prison employees. Some people in Phase 1C: People ages 65-74.

Here is a full list of how Michigan prioritizes its residents: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/MI_COVID-19_Vaccination_Prioritization_Guidance_710349_7.pdf

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Where can I go to get a shot?

It depends on what priority group you're in and where you live.

SENIORS: If you are 65 or older and you get care from a hospital or health system, you can register through that hospital for a vaccine. In addition, some Meijer pharmacies are offering vaccinations to seniors. In addition, some Rite Aid stores also expect to get shipments of COVID-19 vaccines to begin offering shots starting Feb. 11.

Some local health departments also are vaccinating some people ages 65 and older, though it depends on the location. (See below for more details about how to sign up through local hospitals or health departments.)

HEALTH CARE WORKERS: If your workplace is affiliated with a hospital or health system, that hospital or health system will schedule your vaccination.

If you are an independent health care provider, vaccinations can be scheduled through your local health department. Some hospitals are also vaccinating independent health care workers. Check with your employer, hospital or county health department to see how you can get a shot.

FIRST RESPONDERS/LAW ENFORCEMENT: Local health departments are scheduling these appointments. It's best to check with your employer or local health department about how you can get a vaccine.

TEACHERS AND CHILD CARE WORKERS: Public school districts and intermediate school districts are mostly working through local health departments to schedule vaccinations. If you work for a charter school or private school, contact your employer or check the website of the local health department where you live or work to see when you can make an appointment. Some hospital systems also have agreements with school districts to provide COVID-19 vaccines to educators. If you are a child care worker, check with your local health department or employer about scheduling a vaccine.

LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS/WORKERS: Vaccinations are being handled by federal pharmacy partners Walgreens and CVS as Managed Health Care Associates Inc., which has a network of independent pharmacies that already work with long-term care facilities in the state. Among the pharmacies working in the network are Pharmacy Care Advocates (PCA), Genoa, Guardian, and Hometown. Contact the long-term care facility you or your loved one lives in or works in for details.

OTHERS ELIGIBLE NOW: The state health department has links to local health departments on this website: www.michigan.gov/covidvaccine where you can get more information.

How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine through my hospital?

Many hospitals and health care systems have begun offering vaccines to their patients ages 65 and older as well as health care workers.

Some are registering patients by invitation only as vaccines become available according to those who are most vulnerable. Others are using a random system. Some are registering patients for vaccines through the electronic patient portal, such as My Chart. Still others have not begun vaccinating any patients 65 and older yet.

Click on the links below to find COVID-19 vaccine information for southeastern Michigan hospitals and hospital systems.

Ascension Michigan -- Ascension St. John Hospital, Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospitals in Warren and Madison Heights; Ascension Providence Hospitals in Novi, Southfield and Rochester; Ascension River District Hospital, and Ascension Genesys Hospital: https://healthcare.ascension.org/COVID-19/vaccinations

Beaumont Health -- With hospitals in Royal Oak, Farmington Hills, Dearborn, Trenton, Grosse Pointe, Troy, Taylor and Wayne: https://www.beaumont.org/coronavirus/vaccine-program

Detroit Medical Center -- Hospitals include Detroit Receiving; Harper University Hospital; Sinai-Grace Hospital; the DMC Heart Hospital; Children's Hospital of Michigan, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan: https://www.dmc.org/our-response-to-covid-19/covid-19-vaccine-request

Garden City Hospital: https://www.gch.org/patients-visitors/covid-19-patient-and-visitor-information/covid-19-vaccine/

Henry Ford Health System -- With hospitals in Clinton Township, Detroit, Jackson, West Bloomfield and Wyandotte: https://www.henryford.com/coronavirus/vaccine-faqs#eligible

McLaren Health Care -- McLaren Bay Region; McLaren Bay Special Care; McLaren Caro Region; McLaren Central Michigan; McLaren Flint; McLaren Greater Lansing; McLaren Lapeer Region; McLaren Macomb; McLaren Northern Michigan; McLaren Oakland; McLaren Orthopedic Hospital; McLaren Port Huron; McLaren Thumb Region; McLaren St. Luke's, and Karmanos Cancer Institute: https://www.mclaren.org/main/coronavirus-vaccine

Sparrow Health System -- Sparrow Hospital in Lansing; Sparrow St. Lawrence Hospital; Sparrow Carson Hospital; Sparrow Ionia Hospital; Sparrow Eaton Hospital; Sparrow Clinton Hospital, and Sparrow Specialty Hospital: https://www.sparrow.org/vaccine

St. Joseph Mercy Health System: St. Mary Mercy Hospital Livonia; St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea Hospital; St. Joseph Mercy Livingston Hospital; St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, and St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Hospital: https://www.stjoeshealth.org/health-and-wellness/covid-19/vaccine

Memorial Healthcare Owosso Hospital -- https://www.memorialhealthcare.org/coronavirus-covid-19-updates-what-to-know/

Michigan Medicine -- University of Michigan Medical Center, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Von Voightlander Women's Hospital: https://www.uofmhealth.org/coronavirus/vaccine-info-update

Veterans Affairs Hospitals -- John D. Dingell V.A. Medical Center, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System: https://www.va.gov/health-care/covid-19-vaccine/

Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine at a pharmacy?

Yes. Some Meijer pharmacies in Michigan have COVID-19 vaccine doses to give to seniors ages 65 and older. To register for a vaccine through Meijer, go to https://clinic.meijer.com/ or text the word "COVID" to 75049 or call your local Meijer pharmacy.

In addition, 1 million doses of coronavirus vaccines will be available starting Feb. 11 through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 vaccination: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/retail-pharmacy-program/index.html

In Michigan, Rite Aid and Meijer are among the pharmacies participating, however details were not available Friday about which Rite Aid stores will receive doses of the vaccines or how people can register for appointments after Feb. 11.

More information is anticipated next week, and details will be posted online here: www.riteaid.com/covid-19.

Other pharmacies participating in the federal COVID-19 vaccine pharmacy program are LeaderNET, Medicine Shoppe and Cardinal Health, though no details were available Friday about how to register for a vaccine through those companies' pharmacies.

In addition, Kroger pharmacies also are expected to be part of the COVID-19 vaccination efforts soon. The company advises people to check for updates on this website: https://www.kroger.com/i/coronavirus-update/vaccine.

How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in Wayne County?

The Wayne County Public Health Department is now vaccinating people in Phase 1A who are not patients of or affiliated with a hospital or health system as well as teachers who live and work in the county (outside the city of Detroit).

Independent health care practices that aren't affiliated with a hospital or health care system can complete this form to reserve a spot in line: https://www.waynecounty.com/departments/hhvs/wellness/covid-vaccine-request.aspx.

Shots are being given by appointment only at Schoolcraft College's VisTaTech Center, 18600 Haggerty Road, Livonia, and Wayne County Community College Downriver Campus in Taylor. The county is using its health administration building in Wayne to administer Pfizer vaccines.

More: Wayne County COVID-19 vaccine information: https://www.waynecounty.com/covid19/covid-19-vaccine-information.aspx

How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the city of Detroit?

The city of Detroit expanded vaccine eligibility because of a "near tripling" of vaccine doses that arrived in the week of Feb.1.

The shots are given by appointment only by calling 313-230-0505, and are administered in the TCF Center garage. Among those eligible for appointments:

Detroiters ages 65 and older Health care workers who are not employed by hospitals and who live or work in the city. That includes people who work at independent doctor and dentist offices, chiropractors, occupational and physical therapists and those at veterinary centers. Clergy Funeral home workers U.S. Postal Service workers who live or work in the city Food service workers, security guards and janitors

How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in Oakland County?

The Oakland County Health Division is now vaccinating workers in health care, long-term care; law enforcement, fire and EMS; and education staff. In addition, front-line workers in critical infrastructure jobs such as food and agriculture, utilities, transportation, grocery store workers, and individuals 65 years and older who live or work in Oakland County are eligible for shots. Vaccinations are available by appointment only at several locations.

Complete this form to save your spot in line: https://oakgov.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_esKBiPSCA9wmL8p

To sign up for email updates, go to oaklandcountyvaccine.com or text OAKGOV COVID to 468311. The county will contact those who have registered when they are eligible to receive a vaccine. If you are unable to complete the online form, call the hotline at 800-848-5533.

More: Oakland County COVID-19 vaccine information: https://oaklandcountyvaccine.com/

How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in Macomb County?

Macomb County is vaccinating groups 1A and 1B at the VerKuilen Building, 21885 Dunham Road, Clinton Township. This includes:

People ages 65 and older Front-line essential workers who live or work in Macomb County, including police officers, first responders, front-line state and federal workers, jail and prison staff PreK-12 school personnel Child care providers Home health care and hospice workers

New vaccination appointments open up at 8:30 a.m. each Tuesday and close when all available doses have been allocated. To schedule an appointment, call: 586-463-8777 or go to the Macomb County Health Department's online scheduling page: www.macombgov.org/covidvaccine

More: Macomb County COVID-19 vaccine information: https://www.macombgov.org/covid19-COVID19VaccineCentral

How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in Ingham County?

The Ingham County Health Department has opened COVID-19 vaccination appointments to seniors ages 65 and older along with others in priority groups 1A and 1B.

To schedule a shot in Ingham County, you must live or work in the county and complete this registration form on the county's health department website: https://bit.ly/3oXLgBc

When the person's vaccination priority group is eligible and supply allows, the person will receive a link to schedule an appointment via email.

People who don't have access to the Internet may call 517-887-4311 to schedule an appointment.

More: Ingham County COVID-19 vaccine information: https://bit.ly/2MHyj1c

How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in Washtenaw County?

The Washtenaw County Health Department is vaccinating health care providers and people ages 75 and older not covered by a local hospital system, long-term care facility workers and residents, first responders, child care workers, those who work in pre-K -12 schools, law enforcement officers, workers in homeless shelters, adult and child protective services employees.

Anyone who meets those eligibility requirements and does not have a primary health care provider with Michigan Medicine, the St. Joseph Mercy Health System, the VA or IHA, or who is eligible because of your employment, can request an appointment from Washtenaw County here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6135145/covidvaccine. Or call 734-544-6700.

More: Washtenaw County COVID-19 vaccine information: https://www.washtenaw.org/3269/COVID-19-Vaccination

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How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in Livingston County?

The Livingston County Health Department is vaccinating the following people:

Health care workers Residents age 65 and older Some front-line essential workers, including police officers, first responders, jail and juvenile center staff, and preK-12 teachers and child care providers

To register, complete this form: https://bit.ly/3rsoLWC

The health department will contact you when it's your turn to schedule a shot. Those who sign up will be sorted by priority group and randomly selected for appointments.

More: Livingston County vaccine information: https://www.livgov.com/health/ph/Pages/COVID19-Vaccine.aspx

Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in a county where I don't live?

Yes. If you work in another county, you may be eligible for a vaccine there.

Where are drive-up vaccine sites?

It depends on the local health department. Some have drive-up sites, others have indoor clinics. But you can't just show up at any vaccination site expecting to get a shot. They are by appointment only.

I registered for a vaccine, now what?

Wait. Be patient. You will be contacted when a vaccine is available for you.

Local health departments say they are overwhelmed with requests and don't have enough supply to meet the demand. It could be weeks or months before it's your turn.

I need more help. Who should I ask?

You can call 211 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and speak to a specialist who can help you with COVID-19 vaccine questions, and in some cases, schedule you for a shot or put you on a waiting list.

"211's role in this effort was intended to support scheduling assistance for Michiganders who don't have access to the internet and/or aren't comfortable using a computer," said Hassan Hammoud, Michigan 211 executive director.

Callers will be provided information on COVID-19 vaccine scheduling for the county where they live.

"Some health departments and/or counties are offering online scheduling to the public, and for those counties, our specialists will complete the online forms for callers," Hammoud said.

"Some have online registration forms for a callback/waitlist. We are completing those forms for callers as well. Other counties are instructing people to call their health department to schedule an appointment or provide a variety of other types of vaccine-related information, which we are sharing with callers.

"If the option to schedule an appointment or pre-register for a vaccine is available, we are definitely helping with that, but not all counties or health departments have systems in place to accommodate online scheduling."

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: COVID-19 vaccines in Michigan: What you need to know about eligibility, registration

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