Sarah Bennett
As of February 2021, restaurant workers in Detroit and Oakland County, Michigan, were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but not in greater Wayne, Washtenaw, or Macomb counties. This was expanded in March 2021 to include food processing and agricultural workers. However, as of March 2021, only about a third of states had opened vaccine eligibility to restaurant workers, and workers in Michigan have urged the state to allow them to get vaccinated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | February 2, 2021 |
| Location | Detroit, Michigan |
| Eligibility | Food service workers, grocery workers, and restaurant employees |
| Vaccination Centre | Detroit's TCF Centre |
| Phone Number | (313) 230-0505 |
| Registration | Check the website of your local health department or hospital for sign-ups or registration forms |
| Check the appropriate essential food/agricultural worker option | |
| Call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or call 2-1-1 | |
| Check additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid, and Cardinal Health (U.P. residents) |
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What You'll Learn
Detroit and Oakland County lead the way
In early February 2021, Detroit and Oakland County became the first jurisdictions in Michigan to make restaurant workers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. This move came as restaurants and bars across the state were resuming indoor dining, with a 25% capacity limit and a cap of 100 people.
Detroit's decision to include food service workers in its vaccine rollout was in response to a University of California-San Francisco study which found that line cooks in California had died from COVID-19 at higher rates than any other profession. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced the vaccination plan on February 2, which included Detroit grocery-store workers, people working at meatpacking facilities in the city, and those handling food and beverage, in addition to restaurant employees.
Oakland County followed Detroit's lead, making COVID-19 vaccines available to food service workers in the county. However, as of February 2021, restaurant workers in other parts of Michigan, including Wayne, Washtenaw, and Macomb counties, were not yet eligible for the vaccine.
The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) has advocated for granting hospitality workers vaccine priority, arguing that it is crucial for the stability of the industry and public confidence in dining out. MRLA President and CEO Justin Winslow stated, "We maintain that there is no faster way to build back better than through the systematic, expedited vaccination of Michigan's hospitality industry."
As of March 2021, Michigan expanded vaccine eligibility to food processing and agricultural workers, following pressure from workers' rights advocates and community health experts. This expansion included employees at meat processing and meatpacking facilities, workers who process fruit and vegetables, dairy processing, and animal feed manufacturing.
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Restaurant workers urge state to allow shots
In early 2021, Michigan's restaurant employees were sent back to work, but many were not eligible for the vaccine. This prompted the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) to push for granting hospitality workers vaccine priority. MRLA President and CEO Justin Winslow stated that "there is no faster way to build back better than through the systematic, expedited vaccination of Michigan's hospitality industry".
As of February 2021, food service workers in Detroit and Oakland County were eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, but not in other counties. Detroit's mayor, Mike Duggan, announced the vaccination plan, which included Detroit grocery store workers, meatpacking facility workers, restaurant employees, and those handling food and beverage. This was in response to a University of California-San Francisco study that found that line cooks in California had died from COVID-19 at higher rates than any other profession.
Restaurant workers in Michigan have urged the state to allow them to get vaccinated, arguing that the pandemic had "decimated" the industry and that vaccines would prevent further job loss. However, as of March 2021, only about a third of states had opened vaccine eligibility to restaurant workers, with only 17 states making them eligible for shots. In comparison, at least 26 states and Washington, D.C., had begun vaccinating grocery store workers.
Michigan's food and agriculture workers have been encouraged to register for their COVID-19 vaccinations as eligibility expanded to include these frontline essential workers. This includes food processing workers, meat processing and meatpacking facility workers, fruit and vegetable processors, dairy processing workers, and farmworkers. The Michigan Agri-Business Association has expressed appreciation for the state's efforts to get these workers vaccinated and is encouraging agricultural workers and people in rural communities to get vaccinated.
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Michigan prioritises agricultural workers
Michigan has expanded its COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include agricultural workers, recognising their essential role in the state's food supply chain and rural economy. This decision, announced by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Governor Gretchen Whitmer, will ensure that approximately 79,000 food processing and agricultural workers can receive the vaccine.
The prioritisation of agricultural workers in Michigan is a significant step in protecting frontline essential workers during the pandemic. It follows advocacy from workers' rights organisations and community health experts, who emphasised the importance of vaccinating these workers as they have continued to work in person since the initial shutdowns in March 2020. By granting vaccine access to agricultural workers, Michigan is taking a proactive approach to safeguarding the health and safety of these individuals, their communities, and the state's food supply chain.
Agricultural workers in Michigan can now register for their COVID-19 vaccination appointments. They are encouraged to check the websites of their local health departments or hospitals for sign-ups or registration forms. Additionally, they can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 from Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., or simply dial 2-1-1. Multiple language options are available. Furthermore, they can explore additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid, and Cardinal Health (for U.P. residents).
The eligibility for vaccine appointments includes farm workers, encompassing migrant and seasonal workers, who are involved in raising, cultivating, harvesting, packing, storing, and distributing agricultural commodities, especially those working in close contact with others. This expansion of vaccine eligibility to agricultural workers is a testament to Michigan's commitment to protecting its essential workers and ensuring the resilience of its food production and distribution systems.
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Michigan hospitality industry not on vaccine eligibility list
As of February 2021, the Michigan hospitality industry was not on the state's list of vaccination eligibility, despite indoor dining resuming in restaurants and bars. However, food service workers in Detroit and Oakland County were eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, but not in greater Wayne, Washtenaw, or Macomb counties. Detroit's mayor, Mike Duggan, announced the vaccination plan on February 2, 2021, which included Detroit grocery store workers, people working in meatpacking facilities, restaurant employees, and those handling food and beverages.
The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) has advocated for granting hospitality workers vaccine priority, with MRLA President and CEO Justin Winslow stating that there is "no faster way to build back better than through the systematic, expedited vaccination of Michigan's hospitality industry." Winslow also emphasized the importance of vaccinating hospitality workers to prevent further economic decline and job loss in the industry, which has been severely impacted by the pandemic.
A study from the University of California-San Francisco published in late January 2021 found that line cooks in California died from COVID-19 at higher rates than any other profession. This highlights the urgency of prioritizing vaccine access for hospitality workers, who are considered frontline workers and have continued to provide essential services throughout the pandemic.
While Michigan has prioritized vaccine eligibility for food processing and agricultural workers, recognizing their essential role in the state's food supply chain, there is a growing push for the state to include hospitality workers in its vaccination plan. As of March 2021, about 17 states have made restaurant workers eligible for vaccines, and the pressure is mounting for other states to follow suit as indoor dining restrictions are relaxed across the country.
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Detroit announces vaccine eligibility for food service employees
In February 2021, Detroit announced that food service employees living or working in the city could schedule appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This included Detroit grocery store workers, people working at meatpacking facilities, and restaurant employees.
The announcement came as restaurants and bars across Michigan were allowed to resume indoor dining at 25% capacity, with a cap of 100 people. Diners were required to provide their name and contact information for contact-tracing purposes.
At the time, Michigan's restaurant employees were not on the state's list of vaccination eligibility, despite the industry being hit hard by the pandemic. The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) pushed for hospitality workers to be granted vaccine priority. MRLA President and CEO Justin Winslow stated:
> "We maintain that there is no faster way to build back better than through the systematic, expedited vaccination of Michigan's hospitality industry. Vaccination will provide safety to frontline workers, allow for the stable reintegration of Michigan's second-largest employer, and restore public confidence that they may safely dine and travel once again."
Following Detroit's lead, Oakland County also allowed food service workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. However, as of February 2021, food service workers in greater Wayne, Washtenaw, or Macomb counties were not eligible for the vaccine.
As of March 2021, Michigan expanded vaccine eligibility to include food processing and agricultural workers, who were previously part of a group eligible for vaccination starting in May. This expansion was in response to pressure from workers' rights advocates and community health experts, who emphasized the essential nature of these frontline workers.
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Frequently asked questions
As of February 2021, food service workers in Detroit and Oakland County were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but not in greater Wayne, Washtenaw, or Macomb counties. As of March 2021, food processing and agricultural workers are also eligible for the vaccine in Michigan.
Yes, restaurant workers in Michigan have urged the state to allow them to get vaccinated, and the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association has also pushed for granting hospitality workers vaccine priority. However, as of February 2021, the hospitality industry was not on the state of Michigan's list of vaccination eligibility.
They can register by checking the website of their local health department or hospital for sign-ups or registration forms, calling the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or calling 2-1-1, or checking additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies like Meijer, Rite Aid, and Cardinal Health (for U.P. residents).
