Detroit restaurant employees, grocery store workers, and more now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine

Mayor Mike Duggan announced a major expansion for Detroiters eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, Feb. 2 to include any employee who works or lives in the city that works in grocery stores, restaurants, or any food/beverage industry.

The mayor and Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair both spoke during the press conference Tuesday to announce the expansion. You can watch the announcement in the player below.

Not only that, the city will expand the vaccine availability to security guards and janitors to anyone who lives OR works in the city of Detroit.

"If you live or work in the city, you can call today and you will get an appointment," Duggan said.

Once you schedule your appointment, you'll be asked to present a pay stub or employee ID. 

Duggan is also asking employees to carpool to quicken the process but all people in the car must have valid information and must be eligible.

One caller can book for multiple people in your car. You need 6 pieces of information for each person when you make the call:

  1. Name
  2. Address
  3. Date of Birth
  4. Phone Number
  5. Email
  6. Have you had allergic reactions to vaccines in past

The expansion is the next step in Detroit's rapid efforts to increase the number of people vaccinated against the virus. Just last week, Duggan announced the city is tripling the number of vaccinations performed each day.

Duggan said there was a "real chance" that the city is back to normal this summer if vaccination efforts continue.

"There is a real chance, this summer, that we can back to normal: out and interacting. It means we've got to get vaccinated. There is no place else where you can dial a phone, get on in 10 or 15 minutes, get your appointment, drive-in, and you're usually out in 35 to 45 minutes," Duggan said. "We're going to continue to expand this to more and more Detroiters. This is really our choice. We can take back the city and the life we had, by signing up."

It also allowed residents who are 65 and older to make appointments to get vaccinated at the TCF Center in the next few weeks.

Fair announced that the health department is tripling efforts to vaccinate more residents and staff at senior living facilities