Michigan’s top doctor says the state is planning to increase COVID-19 vaccine access for the hardest hit communities.
Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun spoke at a virtual town hall Wednesday evening, addressing vaccine skepticism in the Black community. She announced that the state will be allocating vaccines based on the CDC’s social vulnerability index.
“It's basically a factor that brings in things like race, language, disability status, income, educational attainment, and we actually use that factor to allocate doses across the state.”
Khaldun says the state will be partnering with community health centers to open up vaccination clinics.
“We want to reach people who maybe have not seen a primary care doctor in the past 20 years or ever, and if they want a vaccine, we want them to have access to the vaccine.”
Khaldun says allocating vaccines to those disproportionately affected by COVID in Michigan means prioritizing communities of color, immunocompromised people, and those experiencing poverty. She says she hopes the plan will reduce disparities in those communities.
