Bridgewater, Freedom and Sharon Townships considered priority areas for vaccination efforts

The Michigan Department of Health and Human services and the Washtenaw County Health Department have the goal of getting 70% of residents 16 years old and older vaccinated against COVID-19. Currently 68.2% of Washtenaw residents 16+ years old have received at least one dose. While as a county we are nearing the goal, vaccination rates vary greatly across Washtenaw and three of the four townships in the Manchester area have been designated as priority areas within the county because of their comparatively lower vaccination rates.

More than half of Washtenaw’s census tracts have reached the goal of 70% vaccination and some, like the western half of Chelsea, have more than 80% vaccinated. While Manchester Township recently crossed the 60% vaccination rate line, Bridgewater, Sharon, and Freedom Townships (grouped together into a census tract because of population numbers), have an average of between 50% and 59% vaccinated. Although, some U of M and EMU campus areas as well as parts of Ypsilanti have even lower vaccination rates, the Bridgewater, Sharon, and Freedom Township area represents by far the largest, most sparsely populated geographic area considered a priority. 

COVID-19 cases are low right now in Washtenaw but of the 14 new positive COVID-19 cases last week in the county, 1 of them was in Manchester (zip code 48158). As far as we know, the Delta variant, a form of COVID-19 that is much more contagious although not known to be more deadly to those who get infected, has not yet reached Washtenaw County. Just over 50 cases have been detected in Michigan so far. The CDC is warning that this variant threatens anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet and health officials are concerned it will spread through “unvaccinated pockets” of communities.

All three types of vaccines are effective against the Delta variant. 

The health department is currently using multiple tools to reach unvaccinated individuals who want a vaccine but the low population density of the Manchester area makes targeted pop-up clinics and targeted outreach a less effective option than in densely populated areas of the county.

Most area pharmacies now offer the vaccine (visit https://www.washtenaw.org/3337/Where-to-Get-the-COVID-19-Vaccine), but if transportation is an issue, the health department offers vaccines on a walk in basis Tuesday through Friday from 9 to 11:30 am and 1 to 3:30 pm at 555 Towner in Ypsilanti. Anyone with any barrier to transportation can book a free ride there and back by calling 844-900-4892 and using the code Vaccinate Washtenaw. If you are unable to go to a vaccination site because you are homebound, the health department does make home visits through their Nurse on the Run program. Leave a message at 734-544-6700 or email health@washtenaw.org.

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.