Those incarcerated in Michigan are unable to social distance at all, and have never been able to do so. They have been helpless to avoid the virus, and over half have gotten sick. 121 have died. Now that we have a vaccine, it would seem prudent to vaccinate them as soon as possible. However, our Governor has not prioritized them and at this time they will be vaccinated in the last group listed here. More may die. Many will still get sick, some could have long term affects.
Governor Whitmer seems to have forgotten that those incarcerated do still have constitutional rights, that she is responsible for their care and well being, and that this behavior on her part is likely criminally negligent.
DETAIL ON VACCINATION PHASES
MDHHS recommends that staff providing vaccination clinics to others be vaccinated before they
begin participating in clinics.
While there is not currently data on the safety and efficacy of Pfizer’s or Moderna’s COVID-19
vaccines in pregnant women, the CDC has recommended that pregnant women may be offered the
vaccine within the priority group they fit in, upon consultation with their medical provider.
PHASE 1A: Paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for
direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from
home as well as residents in long-term care facilities.
Priority One: Keep critical health care infrastructure open and functioning (i.e., hospitals, critical
care units, and emergency medical response systems) through vaccination of staff who perform
direct patient care and work in critical areas including:
Group A: Emergency medical service providers, including medical first responders
Group B: General medical floor
Group C: Emergency department
Group D: Intensive care units
Priority Two: Prevent outbreaks and protect residents in long-term care facilities.
Group A: Vaccinate workers who have direct contact with large number of vulnerable residents.
Note: this would include staff who come in and out of the buildings.
• Skilled nursing facility staff
• Psychiatric hospital staff
• Homes for aged staff
• Adult foster care centers staff
• Assisted living facility staff
• Home health care workers caring for high risk clients with large patient loads (e.g. people
with a tracheostomy/ventilator at home)
Group B: Vaccinate vulnerable residents in long-term care facilities.
• Skilled nursing facility residents
• Psychiatric hospitals patients
• Homes for aged residents
• Adult foster care centers residents
• Assisted living facility residents
Priority Three: Keep necessary health care infrastructure functioning.
Group A: Vaccinate workers with direct patient contact who conduct high risk procedures (e.g.,
dentists, endoscopy, dialysis).
Group B: Vaccinate other workers who have direct patient contact, including outpatient, urgent
care, ambulatory care, and home health care.
Group C: Vaccinate workers with specialized skills critical to health care system functioning who
have indirect patient contact (e.g. hospital and public health laboratories, pharmacy, and
medical waste handlers).
PHASE 1B: Persons 75 years of age or older and frontline essential workers in critical
infrastructure.
Group A: Persons 75 years of age or older not covered in Phase 1A. This includes those in a
congregate setting that were not reached in Phase 1A.
Group B: Prioritized frontline workers whose work role has frequent or intense exposure, and, due
to the nature of the work, are not able to maintain social distance. For example, a first responder
may have to physically touch other people in their response, and a child care provider cannot
maintain social distance from children when caring for their physical needs. The specific prioritized
categories are:
• Pre-Kindergarten through high school teachers, support staff and child care workers who
usually have direct contact with children
• First responders not covered in Phase 1A (e.g., firefighters, police, conservation officers,
inspectors)
• Corrections workers (e,g,, staff in prisons, jails, juvenile justice facilities)
• Workers in homeless shelters, congregate child care institutions, and adult and child
protective service
Group C: Other frontline essential workers in sectors essential to the functioning of society and at
substantially higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 because their work related duties must be
performed on site and involve being in close proximity (i.e., within 6 feet) to the public or to
coworkers.
Frontline essential workers in critical infrastructures include by ACIP are:
• Food and agriculture workers
• Critical manufacturing workers
• Public transit workers
• Grocery store workers
• U.S. Postal Service workers
• Workers with unique skill sets not covered above, such as non-hospital laboratories and
mortuary services
If further sub-prioritization is needed of frontline essential workers due to limited vaccine supply,
local health departments may consider prioritizing workers in locations of their jurisdiction where
high rates of transmission and/or outbreaks have occurred and/or workers who are at increased
risk for severe illness based on age or underlying medical conditions.
PHASE 1C: Individuals age 16 years or older at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19
infection and some other essential workers whose position impacts life, safety, and
protection during the COVID-19 response.
Group A: Individuals age 65 to 74 years. This includes those in congregate settings that were not
reached in prior Phases.
Group B: Individuals age 16 to 64 years with COPD, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, heart
disease, diabetes, obesity or other conditions that puts them at high risk of negative COVID-19
outcome.
Some other essential workers whose work must be performed on site, not covered in prior Phases,
will also likely be vaccinated during this phase most likely in the summer. MDHHS will adapt this
guidance as vaccine availability becomes clearer.
PHASE 2: Individuals 16 years of age or older
All individuals who did not otherwise fit into the earlier groups for whom the vaccine is
recommended.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm695152e2.htm?s_cid=mm695152e2_w
CDC Guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm695152e2.htm?s_cid=mm695152e2_w