(WXYZ) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is calling on the Biden administration to surge additional vaccines to Michigan.
“Administering more than five million doses of the safe and effective COVID vaccine in under four months is a big deal, but we’ve still got a lot more work to do,” Whitmer said. “Right now our numbers are alarming, and we all have a role to play to get our state moving in the right direction again. That’s why I’m renewing my call on the federal government to surge additional vaccines to our state."
State officials believe additional supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is vital; Whitmer said the one-shot vaccine is critical to protect younger Michiganders.
"Michigan is unquestionably a national hotspot right now," Whitmer said.
She said the federal government should be surging vaccines to states experiencing more serious outbreaks.
"I'm urging the federal government to create a vaccination surge program to help states like Michigan," she said.
The Associated Press reportsWashington is surging federal resources to Michigan to support vaccinations, testing and therapeutics, but not vaccines.
In a call with Whitmer Thursday night, Biden outlined how the federal government was planning to help Michigan better administer the doses already allocated to the state, as well as surge testing capacity and drugs for virus treatment.
On Thursday, the state reported more than 7,800 new cases of COVID-19, with the total now more than 723,000.
Hospitals throughout metro Detroit are also nearing capacity for COVID-19 patients, and earlier this week, MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said some hospitals are implementing surge plans.
Active cases of coronavirus in the state are approaching 130,000, which would be the highest they've been since mid-November when the state announced a partial shutdown.
The B.1.1.7 variant of the virus is also spreading throughout Michigan, with the state having the second-most cases in the United States, behind only Florida.
Related: MAP: Search COVID-19 variants by county across Michigan
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