LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is doubling the state's daily vaccine goal after it hit or exceeded its 50,000 goal for the past several weeks.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks on Wednesday, January 13 from Lansing, Mich. Image; Gov. Whitmer's office.
A new goal of 100,000 daily vaccine shots comes as Michigan is facing down its third surge of coronavirus cases that is hospitalizing more young people than before.
Supplies appear to be ramping up after the state announced an additional 66,000 doses would be coming next week on top of the state's allocation and the federal doses that pharmacies have been using at nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
"These new, higher vaccine targets are a testament to what we can do together, and we need to meet them so we can keep rebuilding our economy," Whitmer said in a statement.
Next week, Michigan will receive 620,040 doses, the most its ever gotten. That includes 147,800 shots from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is single-shot and effective at mitigating the worst of COVID-19's symptoms.
The state says it hit its 50,000 daily goals 38 days straight. So far, it's administered 4,207,102 doses, as of Wednesday morning. Michigan has said it wants to vaccinate 70% of its adults by the end of the year.
"The state is working hand-in-hand with health care systems, local health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, primary care providers and others to get Michiganders vaccinated with the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible," said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health.
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