Michigan Surpasses 8 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Administered

LANSING, MI — More than 8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Michigan, state health officials said on Friday.

In a statement released Friday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the state is emerging from the pandemic and is "gearing up to jumpstart the economy."

"The hope that we feel today is thanks to the millions of Michiganders who have gotten vaccinated to keep themselves, their families, and communities safe," Whitmer said. "We also owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to every frontline Michigander who played such a vital role keeping our communities going during uncertain times and those who continue to stand on the front lines working to get shots in arms. They are the heroes of this crises.

"Thanks to them and every Michigander who has gotten vaccinated, on June 1st, we will be opening up all outdoor events at 100% capacity and indoor events at 50%, and on July 1st, we will be 100% open except for a few targeted guidelines to keep vulnerable populations safe," the statement continued. "We will have the Independence Day and summer that we all crave, and together, we will build back better. Michigan is poised to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, build up our crumbling infrastructure, invest in our kids and schools, and get back to a new normal as a stronger, more resilient state.”

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As of Thursday afternoon, more than 881,000 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Michigan, a state where more than 18,000 people have died from the virus, per state numbers.

The milestone also comes as Whitmer on Thursday announced two important dates for when the state planned to alleviate some of its COVID-19 restrictions. Outdoor capacity limits will be lifted in Michigan beginning June 1 and one month after that all broad mask and gathering orders will be lifted, Whitmer said at a news conference in Midland on Thursday.

"For the most part, life will be back to normal," Whitmer said at the news conference. "We can have the kind of intense independence we're all looking forward to."