DETROIT – As the first vaccinations are being given to frontline health care workers, many are anxious to know when it will be their turn to receive the vaccine.
People over 65 have been hard hit -- not only by the virus itself but with the restrictions it has placed on their lives, limiting their ability to see their families, travel and do most of the things they enjoyed before the pandemic.
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Not surprisingly, many wanted to get this vaccine Tuesday. Here’s the primary questions they want answered when it comes to the vaccine.
“I’m over 65 and don’t live in a nursing home. How will I know when it’s my turn to get the vaccine? Who will tell me when I can get it and where to go?”
“We will be notifying Michiganders about the priority groups eligible for vaccination via a statewide advertising campaign, social media as well as through stakeholder groups,” said Lynn Sutfin, with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “We are also working with providers who will be reaching out to their patients to alert them that they can come in for their vaccination when we get to the different phases.”
You can also expect widespread media coverage when Michigan moves into the next phase. Some counties are already starting to plan drive-thru vaccinations events. Doctors’ offices will also help inform their patients about where to go.
“I’m a senior citizen who generally spends the winter in Florida, if I get my first shot in Michigan, can I get my second shot in Florida?”
It won’t matter where you get the second dose as long as it’s from the same vaccine. MDHHS said everyone will receive an immunization card when they get their first dose that has the name of the vaccine they received and the date they need to return.
Residency is not an issue, just make sure seniors are eligible for the vaccine in the state you’ll be in when the second dose is due and that it will be available.
READ: Answering questions about COVID-19 vaccine efforts in Michigan
“Is it safe to get my shingles vaccine at the same time or close to when I receive the COVID-19 vaccine?”
It is not recommended to get any other vaccines with the COVID shot.
It was not tested along with any other vaccines and the COVID vaccine itself can trigger a day or two of side effects, so it’s best to delay your shingles vaccine a bit if it would conflict with your turn for the COVID vaccine.