All adults in Michigan will be eligible to get coronavirus vaccine by April 5

All adults in Michigan will be eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine by April 5, the state announced on Friday.

According to the announcement, released by the State Emergency Operations Center, residents aged 16 and older who have disabilities or a medical condition that puts them at high risk for a severe reaction to COVID-19 will be eligible for the vaccine by March 22. 

All residents aged 16 and older who were not previously eligible for the vaccine will be eligible by April 5.

“The safe COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way to protect you, your family and others from the virus,” said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said in a statement. “It is essential to getting our country back to normal, so that we can all hug our families, get back to work, go to restaurants, send our kids to school, play sports and get together again.”

The state’s timeline makes all adult Michiganders eligible roughly one month ahead of President Biden’s timeline. The president on Thursday night called on states to make all adults eligible to receive the vaccine no later than May 1.

The news comes amid a push by Whitmer to get 70 percent of the state’s residents aged 16 and older vaccinated by the end of the year.

Earlier this month, the state announced that it would begin vaccinating all residents aged 50 and older by March 22.

The state on Monday began vaccinating people aged 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs.

According to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, more than 2.8 million vaccine doses have been administered thus far.