Governor Announces Bipartisan Vaccine Education Commission

Liz Gullett

Dec 11, 2020

Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the creation of the Protect Michigan Commission. Created by Executive Order 2020-193, the new commission is housed within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and will help raise awareness of the safety and effectiveness of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, educate residents, and help protect the health and safety of all Michigan residents.

The Protect Michigan Commission will serve in an advisory capacity to Governor Whitmer and DHHS, and will, among other things, provide public leadership to elevate and reinforce the importance of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, identify barriers that may impede the acceptance of an approved COVID-19 vaccine by Michigan residents, including identifying areas or groups within this state that are likely to experience vaccine hesitancy, and develop an outreach action plan designed to overcome these barriers. The Commission must complete its work and submit a brief final report to the governor by December 31, 2021.

The Commission will be chaired by: Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II, former Lt. Governor Brian Calley, Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, among others. It will consist of at least 50 members that will represent the diversity of the state. To apply to serve on the Protect Michigan Commission, please visit Michigan.gov/appointments, and apply by December 28.

To read the full Executive Order, please click here.

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