DETROIT – Detroit opened four vaccination sites that will not require appointments in an effort to speed up getting younger people vaccinated against COVID-19.
The sites are the TCF Center, Northwest Activities Center, the Farwell Recreation Center and Samaritan Center. They are open for walk-ins from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
As of April 5, all Michigan residents 16 and older are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.
The TCF Center walk-in vaccination site sat virtually empty for hours on Tuesday. Overall, health officials said the turnout at the walk-in vaccination clinics was disappointing.
LIVE BLOG: Tracking COVID-19 vaccines in Michigan: New openings, clinics, appointments
Report: Michigan only state at ‘severe’ COVID risk level
Michigan continues its battle with COVID-19 spread, now categorized as at a “severe” risk level for a virus outbreak as the state leads the nation in new virus cases.
Since mid-February this year, coronavirus spread in Michigan has rapidly increased, causing COVID cases and hospitalizations to surge once again. Earlier this month, the state was leading the entire U.S. with its number of daily new virus cases, as well as virus infection and positive test rates. As of April 20, Michigan’s position unfortunately has not shifted much: The state is now categorized by Covid Act Now as being at a severe risk for a COVID-19 outbreak -- the only state currently categorized at such a high level.
On April 15, Covid Act Now increased Michigan’s risk level from “very high” to severe as virus spread compounded. Since last year, the research group -- comprised of technologists, epidemiologists, health experts and public policy leaders -- has been monitoring and identifying each state’s risk level for a COVID outbreak in real time.