Tag Archives: COVID-19 vaccination

Wyoming Gives Back canceled as county health leader ‘deeply concerned” about rising COVID cases, urges vaccination

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A Kent County Health Department nurse gives a COVID-19 vaccination shot. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

WKTV has been informed by the City of Wyoming that the planned Wyoming Gives Back event planned for next week has been cancelled due to health concerns for public gatherings.

This follows an announcement this week that the Kent County Health Department is alarmed by the rising COVID-19 cases which have led to local hospitals operating at “extremely high capacity.”

The health department is also encouraging residents to “do their part” and get vaccinated and take other measures to slow the spread of the virus. Among the statistics which have alarmed health leaders are current test positivity rate of 22.8 percent, as of early this week, as ell as a 7-day average for new cases is 645.

“This is a crisis for all of us who live and work in Kent County,” Dr. Adam London, KCHD Director, said in supplied material. “The capacity for hospitals to provide care, which is exasperated by staffing shortages, is at a tipping point. We should all expect increased wait times for emergency, urgent, and primary care as well as delays in ambulance transfers and some surgical procedures until we control the spread of COVID-19 in the community.”

Among the recommendations issued by county health officials are:

Get vaccinated against COVID-19 and Influenza. “Vaccines are widely available, safe, and effective. According to our local hospital leaders, most of the individuals who are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated,” according to the county health. “If more people get vaccinated, it will greatly help reduce the number of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals. We also strongly urge residents to get the influenza vaccine. If you have questions about the vaccines, talk to your health care provider and visit vaccinatewestmi.com to find a location for a COVID-19, booster, or influenza vaccine location.”

Wear your mask in public settings. “While masks are not perfect, they provide an additional layer of protection by reducing the spread of virus laden droplets in exhaled air. Masks are especially important for people who are not vaccinated, not fully vaccinated, may be infected and do not have symptoms, or have health conditions that make them more vulnerable to becoming sick if they are infected with COVID-19.”

Get tested. “To help mitigate the spread of the virus,” it is important to get tested if you have been around someone who has COVID-19, experiencing any symptom of COVID-19, before attending indoor gatherings with people above the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions, or if you have been around someone with COVID-19, get tested five days after exposure.

“I am thankful to everyone who has been following our recommendations since the onset of the pandemic,” London said this Thanksgiving week. “The current problems would be far worse if not for your actions. We are now asking for your consideration once again as we look to slow the spread of the virus, regain access to our hospitals, and continue to work to get this pandemic behind us.”

City of Kentwood, state health department, to host no-cost COVID-19 vaccine clinic Nov. 4

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A Kent County Health Department nurse gives a COVID-19 vaccination shot. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wtv.org

The City of Kentwood and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) will provide a no-cost COVID-19 vaccine clinic Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Kent District Library – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

The clinic will offer COVID-19 vaccines, including booster shots, from 2-5 p.m., in the library’s Community Room.
 

The clinic will be open to all community members and no appointment will be necessary.
 

The Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available for first, second and third doses, as well as boosters. Vaccine and booster eligibility is determined by the current CDC guidelines.

For information about COVID-19, community members may visit michigan.gov/coronavirus or call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136 (press 1). The hotline is available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

County health department opens 200 vaccine appointments for youth age 12-15 at Saturday clinics

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 12 approved the use of Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for 12-15 year olds. (CDC)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The Kent County Health Department announced Thursday, May 13, that in the light of this week’s announcement that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the use of Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for 12-15 year olds, the county is moving to supply appointments.

The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) will start vaccinating this age group this  Saturday, with appointment availability at the KCHD facility at 700 Fuller Ave NE, Grand Rapids, on Saturday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and on Saturday, May 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 
According to the KCHD statement, currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for anyone 12 years and older. Anyone under 18 will need a parent/guardian present or a permission note from parent/guardian and a driver who is at least 18 years of age.

 
Registration is required, no walk-ins will be accepted. Those interested in attending these clinics can register online here or call 616-326-6992. Residents can also call 2-1-1 for assistance.

 
Additional vaccine clinic locations, times and dates can be found at vaccinatewestmi.com.


Snapshots: WKTV local COVID-19 vaccination stories you might have missed

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By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

“Getting vaccinated does not say you have a free pass to travel. Nor does it say you have a free pass to put aside all the public health measures that we talk about all the time.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci

The COVID-19 vaccination effort is continuing to expand, including in West Michigan. (U.S. Government).

Local mass vaccine clinic seeks volunteers … who will get vaccinated

Hoping to push yourself up in the line for the COVID vaccine? Well the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at DeVos Place maybe able to help. The clinic, which is operated by Kent County, Spectrum Health and Mercy Health in collaboration with Vaccinate West Michigan, is seeking community volunteers in non-clinical roles to support the vaccine clinic. Go here for the story.

Some ideas on how to get to mass clinic easily … and avoid parking fees

The new West Michigan Vaccine Clinic is up and running, but just how do you get here and, if you drive, where do you park? People can park below the facility with the first two hours of parking waived. But an even better idea is that The Rapid has several bus routes that provide service to or near DeVos Place. Go here for the story.

And more places and ways … including one-stop shopping

SpartanNash and other grocery stores with pharmacies have partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to offer the COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with the nationwide rollout plan. For SpartanNash, the vaccine will be administered at no cost to patients and will be available at each of SpartanNash’s 88 company-owned pharmacies. Go here for the story.

Fact … just a fact:

29 million

Since vaccine distribution began in the U.S. on Dec. 14, and through Jan. 28, more than 29 million doses have been administered, reaching 7.2 percent of the total U.S. population, according to federal data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Source.

Volunteers sought for West Michigan Vaccine Clinic, can get vaccine if accepted

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The West Michigan Vaccine Clinic is seeking volunteers. (Supplied)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Hoping to push yourself up in the line for the COVID vaccine? Well the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at DeVos Place maybe able to help.

The Clinic, which is operated by Kent County, Spectrum Health and Mercy Health in collaboration with Vaccinate West Michigan, is seeking community volunteers in non-clinical roles to support the vaccine clinic.

According to officials, when the vaccine is available for the clinic to open at full capacity, approximately 150 volunteers are needed per 4-hour shift. Volunteers may assist with greeting clinic attendees, providing directional assistance, escorting attendees who need help, sanitizing and organizing supplies, performing temperature checks and more. Volunteers need not have prior healthcare experience.

To begin the volunteer process, community members ages 18 and older are asked to complete this survey with Kent County Emergency Management, which is partnering to assist with volunteer management at the clinic. Additionally, volunteers must not have any felonies or misdemeanors within the last ten years, have a valid driver’s license with no suspensions in the past five years, and not had a fever or symptoms of the COVID-19 virus for at least 14 days prior to volunteering. The survey will include authorization for a routine background check. Upon completion, eligible volunteers will receive a confirmation email and instructions for signing up for available shifts.

“Vaccinating our community is a huge undertaking. Just as our organizations are working together, we believe that the West Michigan spirit in so many of our community members will draw people to this volunteer opportunity,” said Dr. Adam London, administrative health officer at the Kent County Health Department. “We are all in this together, and we believe the COVID-19 vaccine provides great hope for us to be able to return to normal and enjoy being with our families and friends again.”

Volunteers who sign a commitment promising at least  20 hours of service  at the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic will become eligible for vaccination as a health care volunteer and part of critical infrastructure. These vaccinations will be made as soon as reasonably possible given the limitations of available vaccine supply and clinic schedule.

Volunteers will not receive pay for their time or travel; however, they will receive free parking in designated nearby parking structures and light refreshments will be provided.

Volunteers will receive training for their role immediately prior to their shift. Also, all volunteers will be required to wear a mask for their entire shift and must complete the CDC Facilities COVID-19 screening survey within four hours prior to the start of their shift.

Clinicians who are interested in volunteering are invited to complete the survey and may serve as general support volunteers. At this time, clinical roles are being staffed through partnering healthcare organizations and healthcare education partners. Should clinical volunteer shifts become available, clinical volunteers may be contacted with opportunities to fulfill such assignments.

As vaccine clinics expand and open within all west Michigan counties and with a focus on historically underserved communities, additional volunteer opportunities will arise here and with other vaccine providers.

For more information, click here.

Kent County, state announce expanded registration available for COVID-19 vaccinations

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The COVID-19 vaccination effort is continuing to expand. (U.S. Government).

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Kent County Health Department announced Friday that local health departments and health systems have received authorization from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to begin COVID-19 vaccination of some people in priority phases beyond 1A starting today, Monday, Jan. 11.

Qualified persons can register at vaccinatewestmi.com/register.

“Those registering should expect that appointments may not be available for several weeks as vaccine supplies are limited and Phase 1A is still in progress,” according to the KCHD announcement. “We encourage everyone to be patient as we prepare for the upcoming vaccination phases. Vaccinations are occurring as quickly as possible and information is being shared as it becomes available.”

The new phase of vaccination priority includes all people 65 years of age or older “not covered in Phase 1A. This includes those in a congregate setting who were not reached in Phase 1A.”

For the COVID-19 vaccine to be effective, individuals must receive a second dose 21-28 days after their initial vaccination, and it must be from the same manufacturer. So, according to the announcement, it is important to schedule an appointment at the same location for both doses. There are no out-of-pocket costs for consumers to receive the vaccine; however, those with health insurance will be asked to provide that information.

The state has also opened vaccinations for “prioritized frontline workers” including pre-kindergarten through high school teachers, support staff and childcare workers who usually have direct contact with children; first responders not covered in Phase 1A (firefighters, police, conservation officers, inspectors); corrections workers (staff in prisons, jails, juvenile justice facilities); and workers in homeless shelters, congregate childcare institutions, and adult and child protective services.

Individuals in Phase 1A who have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine are strongly encouraged to register immediately to ensure smooth transition to subsequent phases. Additional criteria for Phase 1A can be found at vaccinatewestmi.com/vaccine-distribution.

Also, the announcement states that individuals should not receive the COVID-19 vaccine if they are in isolation or quarantine for COVID-19; pregnant or lactating, without first consulting with your healthcare provider to weigh the risks and benefits; have received any other vaccine in the last 14 days; have received monoclonal antibody therapy for COVID-19 disease in the last 90 days.

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines visit vaccinatewestmi.com.