Covenant HealthCare, Ascension St. Mary’s, Saginaw VA, and Great Lakes Bay Health Centers have each received doses for staff and affiliates. HealthSource Saginaw has received doses for the process of vaccinating staff and long-term care residents.
We are fulfilling our role in 'filling the gaps' by using our doses to vaccinate EMS, first responders, CMU medical students, public health staff who are vaccinating others, long-term care facilities not enrolled in a pharmacy partnership program, and independent health care workers.
As announced by the state on January 6, Phase1B is eligible for vaccination, which now includes residents 65 and older -- a change from 75 and older. We are already registering Saginaw County businesses who employ critical infrastructure workers. However, WE ARE NOT READY TO VACCINATE PHASE 1B YET. It may be a few weeks before the vaccine gets to them and residents 65+.
We’re still working through Phase 1A. Saginaw is unique for the large number of healthcare workers, so we ask for patience as we work with our partners to make sure our county’s vaccine doses – still scarce – are administered to those who want it in the Phase 1A priority groups. This includes the 340 health offices, representing 5,000 independent healthcare workers, that have already registered for vaccines on our website.
Independent health care providers include dental clinics, eye care centers, physician offices, dialysis centers, acupuncture/massage offices, pharmacies, substance abuse centers, veterinary medicine clinics, mental health offices, home healthcare agencies, physical/occupational therapy centers, and jail and prison health clinics.
The same registration process is available for critical infrastructure businesses who employ essential workers scheduled to receive the vaccine in Phase 1B.
Independent health facilities and critical infrastructure businesses NEED to enroll with the health department on behalf of their employees. We need the employer to enroll – as opposed to individual employees – so that we can verify which employees and how many belong in vaccine priority groups. This allows us to utilize our doses appropriately and ensures we are targeting the right people for prioritization.
A separate process is being developed countywide to vaccinate residents ages 65 and older.
We want to remind you that vaccine doses are still scarce and shipments are fluctuating, which impacts vaccine distribution. Moderna doses are now being earmarked for long-term care staff and residents, which will mean shipping delays beyond January 25 for Saginaw County hospitals and clinics that have received them thus far.
We are working as quickly as possible to vaccinate people according to the guidance provided by the CDC and MDHHS and are committed to communicating broadly about the timing for each phase, so it isn’t necessary to call us for appointments.