Michigan residents can begin registering for the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at Ford Field in Detroit, which opens March 24.
The site will operate eight weeks seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The site will administer 6,000 doses per day when it opens with the aim of increasing capacity.
Henry Ford Health System works as the site’s medical director and oversees the administration of vaccines and medical care, as well as support for the site’s operations.
The appointment for the appointment will be handled by Meijer, Henry Ford said in a news release.
Login is available with three options:
- Online at meijer.com/register/CL2021
- SMS EndCOVID to 75049
- Call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID-19 hotline at (888) n535-6136 (print 1). Call Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00, and Saturday and Sunday 08:00 to 13:00 It is expected that the call center will have long waiting times, and therefore only people who can not register online or by SMS are recommended. .
Those who have registered for the vaccine will be notified by voice or text message when it is their turn to schedule an appointment. According to a news release circulating Monday night, there will be an appointment for vaccines a few days ahead of time.
It is unclear whether those already reported by Meijer will be added to the Ford Field site suitability list, but registration now includes an option to select Ford Field.
Henry Ford is the only Michigan health care system selected to provide support at the facility, which will be managed by the State of Michigan. Other support partners include the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Wayne County, Detroit City, Ford Field, Detroit Lions and Meijer.
At Ford Field, Henry Ford will use the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index to prioritize vaccinations. The index uses 15 factors, including poverty, lack of access to vehicles, pressure housing and others, to determine who should get the vaccine the fastest.
The doses used for vulnerable populations on the index are sent in addition to the state’s regular allocation to the federal government, the health system said.
During the first three operations, the Ford Field vaccine will administer the Pfizer vaccine and those who receive a first dose will be guaranteed a second dose within four to six weeks. The vaccine that will be offered later on the site has yet to be determined.
The vaccine is offered free of charge and insurance is not required. The property also has free parking.
Any Michigan resident currently eligible to receive the vaccine under state guidelines can sign up for an appointment. These include:
- Adults over 50 with disabilities or certain medical conditions
- Parents and guardians of children with special health needs
- Food processing and agricultural workers
- K-12 teachers
- Child care workers
- Law Enforcers, including Prison and Correctional Officers
- Healthcare workers
- People living and working in long-term care facilities
From 22 March, individuals with disabilities aged 16-49 and all adults older than 50 will be eligible to receive the vaccine. Residents 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on April 5th.
As of Friday, about 23 percent of Michigan’s 16-year-olds and older were fully or partially vaccinated; more than 2.9 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have been administered to date.
Government Gretchen Whitmer has set a state goal to get 70 percent of residents over the age of 16 vaccinated to secure herd immunity.