MI Eases Access To COVID-19 Vaccine Amid Changing Federal Guidelines: What To Know

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive directive Wednesday ensuring Michiganders' access to the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the governor's office.

"Cold, flu, and COVID-19 season are upon us," Whitmer said in a statement. "We all have a role to play in keeping our communities safe and healthy. Today’s executive directive ensures Michiganders can get the COVID-19 vaccine if it’s right for them. According to medical experts, vaccines remain the most effective way to stay healthy."

Whitmer's directive specifically orders Michigan health officials to:

• Provide guidance to pharmacists, providers and the public about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Encourage pharmacists and providers to prescribe and administer COVID-19 vaccines to patients.
• Remove barriers to vaccine access to ensure COVID-19 vaccines remain widely available in Michigan.
• Ensure health insurance plans under the regulatory authority of MDHHS and DIFS — including Medicaid and health plans in the individual, small group and large group markets — cover COVID-19 vaccines.

The directive comes amid changing federal guidelines, such as vaccine requirements, eligibility and insurance coverage, spearheaded by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

In August, Kennedy's administration limited the vaccine to those under 64 or younger. Those guidelines differ from Michigan's COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, which say everyone 6 months and older should get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Leaning on state experts, Whitmer said the vaccine is the safest way for Michiganders to protect themselves, their families and neighbors from illness, hospitalization and death.

She specifically pointed to a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services study that showed the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine reduced emergency room and urgent care visits by 65-70 percent for children in the first two months after vaccination.

Additionally, major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians, have recommended the vaccine as a safe and effective preventive measure.

"It is imperative that all Michiganders who choose to be vaccinated continue to have access to these vaccines and that coverage under state-regulated health insurance policies remains available," Whitmer wrote in the directive. "Michiganders need evidence-based guidance on the safety and efficacy of COVID- 19 vaccines."