COVID-19 Vaccine Phases and Progress

Updated May 17, 2020

Vaccine distribution information: Everyone age 12 and older is now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. For the most up-to-date information about vaccine distribution, visit our COVID-19 Vaccine Information and Update page. For information about the COVID-19 vaccine and adolescents and children ages 12-15, visit our COVID-19 Vaccines for Adolescents and Children page on MottChildren.org.

Phases of Vaccine Distribution

Below are the original phases of vaccine distribution as recommended by the CDC and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The State of Michigan also created a strategy for prioritizing vaccination that provided more detailed guidance for the phases below.

Phase 1A

Includes paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from home, as well as residents of long-term care facilities. In accordance with MDHHS guidance to support critical health infrastructure, phase 1A also was expanded to include all Michigan Medicine employees.

Phase 1B

Includes people age 65 and older, as well as frontline essential workers including first responders, Pre K-12 education, food and agriculture, manufacturing, corrections, postal service, public transit, and grocery store workers.

Phase 1C

Includes those at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions such as COPD, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, obesity or other conditions that puts them at high risk of negative COVID-19 outcome. Phase 1C also includes parents or guardians of children with special health care needs and essential workers in transportation and logistics, food service, construction, finance, IT and communication, energy, media, legal, public safety (engineers, water and wastewater).

Phase 2

A mass vaccination campaign for all people age 16 and older.

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