At the beginning of the year, a 70% vaccination rate of Michigan residents seemed like it would never happen. The 70% vaccination rate was even used as a benchmark for lifting restrictions within the state, until that number was later abandoned and restrictions were lifted after about 50% of the state was vaccinated.

But the elusive 70% vaccination rate has just recently been hit. On Monday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced that 70% of Michigan residents over the age of 16 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. That means that over 5.6 million people in the state have gotten the shot so far, but MDHHS is hoping to increase that number over the next several months.

"This is great news and we have been looking forward to surpassing this milestone since the vaccines became available," said MDHHS director Elizabeth Hertel. "We urge Michiganders who are eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible and to continue practices we know help stop the spread of COVID-19, including wearing masks and social distancing. The vaccine continues to be how we will return to normalcy in the state, and we thank all of those who have done their part to end this pandemic."

MDHHS warns that the vast majority of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are people who have not yet been vaccinated. Since the beginning of the year, unvaccinated Michiganders have accounted for 93.1% of new cases, 90.7% of hospitalizations, and 90.5% of deaths.

"We know the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are our way out of the pandemic," said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive at MDHHS. "Vaccines are how we prevent infectious variants from spreading and threatening our ability to contain the pandemic. It's important to take a moment to celebrate the hard work of those who have developed these vaccines, as well as those who have administered vaccines these past many months. We also thank Michiganders who have done their part to keep their families and communities safe by getting vaccinated."

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and where to find a vaccination site, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine and VaccineFinder.org.

Which Big Ten Mascot Is The Dumbest?

It's almost a law that every college football team has to have a mascot that parades along the sideline craving attention from fans hopped up on tailgate alcohol. So which Big Ten mascot looks the dumbest? First of all, let me give props to the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois and Indiana University for not having a costumed mascot. They win first place just for not being that dumb to begin with.

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