COVID vaccination efforts gain momentum as demand increases

Torrence Williams | Washtenaw Voice

by DEBRA DESTEFANI
Staff Writer

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout, which began in Michigan on Dec. 14, has shipped over one million doses in the state so far, which are currently being administered mainly to frontline and healthcare workers.

Michigan is currently in the “1b” stage of the vaccine rollout, which broadly opens up the criteria for vaccination to thousands of other essential frontline workers and citizens over the age of 65.

Although the average citizen most likely won’t have access to the vaccine for at least four more months, Susan Ringler-Cerniglia, a health department official, says that demand for the vaccine is up.

What is holding back the process is the lack of locations certified to vaccinate people.

“We’re ordering week to week from the state so based on vaccines we can deliver, and based on partners there are limited providers of the vaccine right now,” said Ringler-Cerniglia.

“A number of health providers have applied to provide vaccines once they are available, so the months and weeks ahead we imagine there will be more locations available.”

According to Ringler-Cerniglia, currently only health departments and official health providers, plus the few approved chain pharmacies (CVS and Walgreens) are able to administer the doses. But plans announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Jan. 13 should add momentum to the stalled rollout.

During the press conference, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that a new partnership with Meijer will allow more access to the vaccine by having pharmacies at their 120 locations across the state begin administering the doses.

In addition, millions of vaccines that were held up by the federal government were granted release.

The governor also announced the end of the temporary restrictions — which will be lifted at the beginning of February — that have prohibited activities such as indoor dining and group exercise classes.

Dr. Joneigh S. Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy director for Health and Human Services, said that cases “may now be plateauing”.

“This is the first time both the case rate and the positivity have changed direction since mid-November,” said Khaldun.

Health officials continue to ask Michigan citizens to wear masks, social distance, and practice good hygiene even if they have received a vaccine.

Michigan.gov has an interactive Coronavirus vaccine dashboard that residents can use to track numbers and locations of where shipments of the vaccine are distributed, which can be found on the State of Michigan’s COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard.