(WWJ) Pfizer booster shots have been authorized for 16 and 17-year-olds, as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) urges all Michiganders 16 and older to get the Pfizer booster vaccine if they received their two primary COVID-19 vaccines six months ago or later.
Pfizer is the only authorized vaccine for people under the age of 18.
"Vaccines are the way out of the pandemic, and now we can continue to protect ourselves further from COVID-19, which continues to surge in our state,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. "Keeping our children safe includes getting them vaccinated and boosted, and this in turn will help alleviate burdens on our health care system to help avoid our children needing emergent care.”
More than 6.1 million Michiganders 5 and older have gotten at least one dose of one of the three COVID-19 vaccines.
MDHHS said more than 1,130 of more than 1,580 hospitalizations between late October and mid-November were among unvaccinated individuals (71%)
588 of 772 deaths were among individuals not fully vaccinated, according to MDHHS (72%).
This comes as Michigan COVID-19 cases reach a new high of more than 11,780 since Wednesday. 235 deaths have been reported in that time period, including 151 from a review of vital records. The seven-day positivity rate averages 19%.
Nearly 4,700 Michiganders are hospitalized with a confirmed case of the virus including 980 in the Intensive Care Unit.
To schedule a primary or booster dose of the COVID vaccine, visit vaccines.gov.
To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.
For more information about COVID-19 in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/coronavirus.
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