City to nearly triple vaccinations, expands eligibility to Detroiters 65 and up and healthcare workers

The City of Detroit will nearly triple COVID-19 vaccinations beginning next week and expanded its eligibility list to include Detroit residents age 65 or older and individuals working in healthcare settings.

Mayor Mike Duggan secured a pledge from the administrations of President Joe Biden & Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to provide the Detroit Health Department with 15,000 first doses per week, up from 5,100 doses. The increased dosages will allow the City to close the vaccination gap — 8% of Michigan residents have been vaccinated, but only 3% of Detroiters have received vaccines.

The full list of eligible individuals now includes:

• NEW: Any Detroit resident who is age 65 or older (anyone born in 1955 or earlier)
• NEW: Individuals in healthcare settings working in Detroit, who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials
• K-12 teachers and support staff and day care workers
• U.S. Post Office employees who live or work in Detroit
• Employees of the City of Detroit or City-related agencies who are working from their regular job site (Employees working from home are not eligible at this time)
• State and federal law enforcement who live or work in Detroit at a job site
• Members of the clergy who live or work in Detroit and interact face-to-face with members of their congregation
• Funeral home/mortuary employees who live or work in Detroit

Detroit Health Department expands on-site vaccinations

With the City’s additional allotment, the Health Department will double its efforts to vaccinate the most vulnerable populations at homeless shelters and senior citizen buildings. The Health Department will visit three to four facilities per day (depending on size) and vaccinate up to 1,000 residents and staff per week, up from 560 a week.

So far, the Detroit Health Department, working with the Wayne State Medical School, has vaccinated 937 staff and residents at 10 homeless shelters and 10 senior housing centers.

The Health Department also will visit other congregate settings operated by the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN), such as mental health facilities, substance abuse recovery centers and other supportive housing units.

Scheduling Appointments

Eligible residents can call 313-230-0505 between 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday-Friday to make an appointment. Vaccinations will be administered by appointment only.

When they schedule their appointment, individuals will be provided TWO appointment dates, one for the first dose and another for the required second dose. Call center staff will contact each scheduled person prior to their second appointment to remind them. Individuals also will be provided specific instructions on when and where to arrive to the TCF Center, where they will be required to fill out a basic consent form. City officials are extending the hours of operation at the TCF Center to 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Public Dashboard tracks doses, vaccinations

As of today, the City has received 18,450 vaccine doses and, as of Wednesday evening, administered 81% or them or 14,948. That includes more than 5,700 residents over the age of 68 and “good neighbor” drivers, 1,993 healthcare providers, 2,032 first responders, 2,520 teachers and school staff, and other eligible individuals. Daily updated numbers are now available at www.detroitmi.gov.

Detroiters urged to apply for expungement assistance before new law takes effect April 11 

Last October, the Michigan legislature approved a bill that significantly expanded the number of residents eligible to have criminal offenses expunged from their record. Under the expanded legislation, more than twice as many Detroiters are now eligible to have their records cleared starting April 11.

Mayor Mike Duggan encouraged all eligible Detroiters to begin the application process now so they have everything in order when the court considers new expungement requests in April. The provisions of the expungement law were outlined at the Mayor’s January 28 news briefing.

Among the key changes in the new law are:

• Expungement no longer restricted applicants to one felony over a lifetime. In many cases those with 2-3 felonies and a five-year clean record are now eligible.
• Expungement is no longer limited to only misdemeanors over a lifetime.
• Expungement is now available for the first time for traffic offenses (other than DWI and traffic accidents involving death)

City officials hope to process 1,000 expungements in the first year after the law takes effect in April. Last year, PCS staff helped about 300 Detroiters clear their records.

Anyone interested in having their record expunged can follow a simple five-step process, which will take between six months to nine months. For more information on Project Clean State, go online to detroitmi.gov/projectcleanslate to begin the registration process. Residents can also send an email to projectcleanslate@detroitmi.gov or call 313-237-3024 and leave a voicemail.