Getting a vaccination for COVID-19

Photo courtesy St. Joseph Mercy Health System

It was announced Thursday that vaccine priorities have been updated by the state and the Washtenaw County Health Department, as well as local hospital systems, are ready to take the ball and run with it starting today (Monday, Jan. 11).

Local health departments are now authorized to begin vaccinating the following groups starting immediately:

• People age 65 years or older
• Frontline, essential workers with frequent or ongoing exposure as a part of their work. This includes some, but not all essential workers previously designated in 1B. First responders, police officers, jail and prison staff, pre-K-12 teachers and childcare providers are included.

Scheduling for the immunizations also begins immediately. Check the WCHD website for information. If possible, review all available information before calling. Also, please remember your scheduled appointment may be weeks away, depending on overall supplies and capacity.

“In Washtenaw County, this (authorization) represents thousands of newly eligible individuals,” said Susan Ringler-Cerniglia, Public Information Officer for WCHD. “Vaccine availability still depends on both vaccine supply and staffing capacity. Please be patient; we cannot vaccinate everyone eligible immediately.

“Be assured we are vaccinating as quickly as we can and are sharing information as we have it.”

Asked about local vaccine clinics, Ringler-Cerniglia said, “As more supplies become available, it will start to be available at those providers willing to offer it. At this point, we cannot predict when that will happen. At the Health Department, we are working to establish at least two central sites – one on each side of the county. (I’m) not sure how soon we can confirm details, but do plan to announce as much as we know by Monday.”

Contacted on Friday, Manchester Family Practice, the only medical practice currently in the Manchester community, said that they do not give COVID-19 vaccinations at the office and there are no plans at this time to do so.

Patients of Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan Health System) will begin receiving invitations on Monday to schedule appointments. These invites, according to a press release, will go to patients 65 and older who are current Michigan Medicine patients under the care of a Michigan Medicine primary care provider, or who have had a visit with any Michigan Medicine provider in the last two years. Michigan Medicine’s vaccine locations are not open to the public and require an appointment.

“Available appointments each week will depend on vaccine supply, but Michigan Medicine hopes to offer vaccination to all patients in this group who would like to be vaccinated in the next two to three months,” according to the release. “Patients of other systems should be notified and have access to the vaccine through their providers.”

Michigan Medicine has received 21,700 total doses of the Pfizer Inc./BioNTech vaccine so far and has vaccinated 13,863 physicians, employees, and healthcare students who were in the Phase 1A category. Thousands of appointments are already scheduled in the days ahead, which, along with second doses, will use up much of that current vaccine supply.

“This is a major milestone in our effort to fight the COVID-19 virus,” said Sandro Cinti, M.D., professor of infectious diseases in the U-M Medical School. “We are delighted we can offer this lifesaving vaccine to vulnerable patients. Our best tactic to combat this pandemic is getting this safe, effective vaccine to as many people as soon as we can. In so doing, we are also supporting vaccination efforts for communities across the state.”

St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea is also committed to helping vaccinate the communities it serves against COVID-19, including Manchester, said Bobby Maldonado, Senior Public Relations Media Specialist.

“With the recent announcement that Michigan is moving into Phase 1B of the vaccination plan, the hospital is quickly trying to complete vaccination of those in the 1A category (health care workers),” Maldonado added. “Over the coming weeks, St. Joe’s will begin offering opportunities for those in 1B. For the latest COVID-19 vaccine information, please visit, www.stjoeshealth.org, which will soon be updated with details about how to schedule a vaccine.

“We are excited to begin this major step towards keeping our community safe and seeing an end to this pandemic.”

St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea also maintains a nearby COVID-19 Screening Site located at Chelsea, Michigan 48118. Go to their website and click “Schedule Test” to set up an appointment. 

“It’s a tremendous relief to add vaccination to the resources we have to prevent COVID-19 from causing additional harm, but this process will take time,” says Jimena Loveluck, MSW, health officer with Washtenaw County Health Department, on Monday morning. “We need everyone’s patience, and we need to keep doing everything possible we can to prevent the spread of illness – including wearing face masks, social distancing and isolating or quarantining when needed.”

Currently, COVID-19 vaccine is only available through the Health Department and our local health systems. Supplies are limited and are allocated through the state week by week. Most initial distributions will take place at large, central locations to vaccinate many people quickly, according to Health Department sources.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.