Flint MI — December 16, 2020
In an effort to inform citizens, the Genesee County Health Department has released a statement regarding how they intend to administer the distribution of the recently released COVID-19 vaccine. Teaming with local area schools, at least six distribution sites across the county will be used to facilitate the inoculation of area residents wishing to receive the vaccine.
Genesee County Update on the COVID-19 Vaccine and Distribution
The anticipation of the COVID-19 vaccine has prompted questions regarding how it will
be distributed throughout Genesee County. Genesee County Health Department has a
Memorandum of Understanding with eight schools in Genesee County partnering for the utilization of their facilities for public health emergencies including, but not limited to, vaccine distribution.
Current planning includes the use of these sites to provide drive-through vaccination clinics. We are also looking at the possibility of providing clinics in other locations as well as the schools, to ensure all residents of the County are accommodated.
The COVID-19 vaccines that are scheduled to be distributed here in Genesee County
are currently only approved for persons 18 years of age and older. The vaccine will be
distributed to the public in phases of priority, determined by the Centers of Disease Control
(CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP.) The immunization
department will be following standard protocol for distributing the vaccine which includes: written consent by the person 18 years of age and older, along with providing the required information about the vaccine, and any side effects that may occur.
As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to the Health Department, we will post the
times and locations of clinics along with the priority group that will be eligible for receiving the vaccine at that time. Information on the COVID 19 vaccines and how it will be distributed by priority groups is available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/vaccines/index.html
Genesee County Schools Participating
The health department has named six schools that are scheduled to participate. Davison, Flint, Flushing, Grand Blanc, Lake Fenton, and Mt. Morris.
Who Will Get Vaccinated First
According to the CDC. “Because the supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is expected to be limited at first, CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine be allocated to healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents. CDC made this recommendation on December 3, 2020, and based it on recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent panel of medical and public health experts.”
The recommendations were made with these goals in mind:
- Decrease death and serious disease as much as possible.
- Preserve the functioning of society.
- Reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities.
Healthcare personnel includes all paid and unpaid people who serve in healthcare settings and have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials.
Residents of long-term care facilities are defined as adults who live in facilities that provide a variety of services, including medical and personal care, to people who are unable to live independently.
