Publication

22 January 2021

The Latest COVID-19 Vaccine News

It seems all anyone is talking about is the COVID-19 vaccine. From our Governor to our doctors to our employers and neighbors, everyone wants to know who is eligible for the vaccine, how to make an appointment to get vaccinated and when they can expect to be vaccinated. Miller Johnson has been tracking the latest vaccine updates and will continue to keep clients informed of the latest news and developments.

Michigan Announces a Vaccine Partnership with Meijer

Earlier this week the State of Michigan announced Meijer Pharmacies would be the state’s initial pharmacy partner to help administer COVID-19 vaccines. Since the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered in Michigan on December 14, 2020, the state has administered almost 600,000 vaccines. By partnering with Meijer and its 120 state-wide pharmacies, Michigan is hoping to increase its rate of 15,789 vaccines per day. Meijer will now be able to directly receive and administer vaccines as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Partnership Program. The Federal Government is already working with pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens to administer vaccines in nursing homes. Meijer will initially limit vaccine administration to four locations in Wayne County, but will expand to other locations when it receives additional doses. Individuals can register online today to be vaccinated at one of Meijer’s pharmacies. Meijer will evaluate the registration to assess availability and contact registrants with an appointment date.

New COVID-19 Strain Reaches Michigan

Also earlier this week, public health officials announced that a woman in Washtenaw County tested positive for the highly transmittable UK variant of COVID-19, known as the B.1.1.7 variant. The strain is not more deadly and is not known to make people more sick, but experts have estimated its presence in Michigan means the state will need to vaccinate 90% of the population to achieve herd immunity. In good news, a study has shown the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is just as effective against the UK strain.

The COVID-19 vaccine raises difficult legal questions regarding vaccine eligibility, liability, immunity and privacy. In addition, the new Biden Administration has already announced a mask mandate for federal workplaces and federal property and instructed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to pursue an emergency temporary standard for COVID-19 workplace-safety standards.

Join us next week for three webinars that will address these and other legal issues.

Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 8am

COVID-19 Vaccine Part 3: Vaccine Distribution Update and the Vaccination of Essential Workers

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 8am

COVID-19 Vaccine Part 4: To Mandate or Not?  Vaccine Policy Decisions and Liability Analysis for Employers and Businesses

Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 8am

COVID-19 Vaccine Part 5: HR and Risk Management for Healthcare Providers

For other webinars on vaccine related issues, please visit our Coronavirus / COVID-19 resource webpage.