Food and agriculture workers are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines in Grand Traverse County effective immediately, the GT County Health Department announced Wednesday.

Food and agriculture workers, as defined by the state of Michigan, include the following: food processing workers including especially meat processing and meatpacking facilities; processing of fruit and vegetables; dairy processing; animal feed manufacturing; food and animal feed ingredient manufacturing; beverage production; and the production of food packaging. Eligible groups also include farmers and farm workers, including migrant and seasonal workers, involved in raising, cultivating, harvesting, packing, storing, and distributing agricultural commodities, and who are by the nature of their work in close proximity and contact with other people. Vaccine appointments can be scheduled online here.

The GT County Health Department is reserving 75 percent of its weekly first dose allocations for the 65 and older
population and 25 percent for all eligible workers as required by the state. As of Tuesday, 68 percent of the 65 and older population had received at least 1 dose of vaccine in Grand Traverse County, with over 40 percent having been completely vaccinated.