MANISTIQUE — Any residents in Luce, Mackinac, Alger, and Schoolcraft Counties, age 16 and older can now be added the LMAS District Health Department’s COVID-19 vaccine waiting list. The shift to allow younger residents to be vaccinated was announced Friday.

Those with medical conditions will still be prioritized. Appointments will begin to be scheduled during the week of March 15. All previous priority groups can still be scheduled as well.

To get on a waitlist or sign up for an appointment time, visit LMASDHD.org and click on the appropriate waitlist button. For appointments at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, you can call 906-341-3775.

If you or a family member needs assistance scheduling or getting on a waitlist in any of the counties in the LMAS counties, call the health department Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The phone numbers for the remaining counties are: Alger, 906-387-2297; Luce, 906-293-5107; or Mackinac 906-643-1100. You may also reach the department through its Facebook page via Facebook Messenger at Facebook.com/LMASDHD.

“We appreciate the opportunity to open up COVID vaccinations to more of our district residents. However, we do not yet have a clear picture of whether those vaccinated can spread COVID-19 to others, so even when you are fully vaccinated, you need to continue to properly wear a cloth face covering (fully covering your mouth and nose), stay home when you don’t feel well, get tested, maintain distance, wash your hands, and limit your gatherings to no more than 15 people from three households. Also, if LMAS contacts you, and instructs you to isolate or quarantine, please follow those instructions,” a press release sent out by the health department Friday said.