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Vaccine eligibility expansion 'welcomed surprise' for West Michigan Vaccine Clinic

"It's a surprise that is in line with information that we're getting about a dramatic increase in vaccine allocation that is coming very, very soon."

Kent County health leaders say they are ready for the recently announced COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expansion next month. 

On April 5, eligibility will expand to everyone in the state of Michigan ages 16 years old and older. Previously, the state's timeline slated the general public to become eligible for the vaccine in the late spring or early summer. 

"It's a little bit of a surprise, but it's a welcome surprise, to be honest," said Dr. Adam London, director of the Kent County Health Department (KCHD). "And it's a surprise that is in line with information that we're getting about a dramatic increase in vaccine allocation that is coming very, very soon."

For the past several months, demand for the vaccine has far outweighed supply making appointments hard to come by for many. In the time since the first vaccine was administered in Michigan on Dec. 14, two more vaccines have come onto the market. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are all expected to be ramping up production. 

Recently, President Joe Biden announced there would be enough vaccines for 300 million people by the end of May.

"The challenge is going to be distribution and actually getting those doses in arms, a lot of places are going to struggle with that," London said Friday. "But, here we've got that solved because of this really unique partnership."

The West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at Devos Place, which is a collaboration between KCHD, Spectrum Health and Mercy Health, has the capacity to vaccinate about 20,000 people per day. 

There have been weeks were there was no available supply to use at the convention center. But last week, the large-scale clinic hit a record of 8,000 shots in eight hours. 

"That was a stress test for us. We're ramping up, and we'll continue to increase volumes, until we get to our peak volume of about 20,000 people per day," said Chad Tuttle, vice president of hospital operations with Spectrum Health West Michigan. 

The concerns, Tuttle says, are maintaining enough staff and enough parking to keep the clinic operating at full capacity. 

A request for clinic volunteers was filled in less than a day, but Tuttle said Spectrum Health is looking to hire more clinical staff. 

Click here for more information on clinical staff positions. 

Tuttle says the health system is working on resolving parking issues with the city and county. 

If you have not yet registered for the COVID-19 vaccine, Tuttle says to do it now whether you're eligible yet or not. 

"You don't need to wait to register for the vaccine, you can register now and we will begin scheduling you as soon as we get opened up to those next categories," he said. 

Click here to register for the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic. 

Tuttle and London said their organizations will be working to clear waitlists of people who are currently eligible in the time leading up to the mass eligibility expansion in April. 

"We will do what we can to get doses available to those who are most vulnerable first," London said.

London said previously the health department expected to be continuing mass vaccination efforts into the fall. 

"Now, I believe because of the increase in allocation, and because this partnership that we have at the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic at Devos Place that we can get through most of this work through the month of May."

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has set the goal of vaccinating 70% of the population ages 16 and up as soon as possible. Currently, 12.9% of that population has been vaccinated. 

"It's a little scary that these timelines are flying at us so quickly, but I think we're all feeling very energized by that and we're up for the challenge," London said.

Recent changes to prioritization from MDHHS:

  • By March 1, 2021, all areas of the state may, as vaccine supplies are available, implement vaccination of people who are frontline essential workers in the food processing and agricultural industries. 
  • By March 8, 2021, all areas of the state may, as vaccine supplies are available, implement vaccination of people who are aged 50 and up with medical conditions and/or disabilities, as well as caregiver family members and guardians age 16 and older of children who have special health care needs (part of Phase 1C Groups B and C). 
  • By March 22, 2021, all areas of the state may, as vaccine supplies are available, implement vaccination of people who are aged 50 and up (part of Phase 2), as well as vaccination of people aged 16 and up who have disabilities and/or medical conditions, as well as their caregiver family members and guardians. 
  • By April 5, 2021, all areas of the state may, as vaccine supplies are available, implement vaccination of all people aged 16 and up who were not previously eligible. 

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