KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo County Department of Health on Monday warned of an unauthorized link being sent to some, offering the chance to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccine is currently only available to Phase 1A health workers or others, said Lyndi Warner, spokeswoman for the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services.
The link for vaccine registration sent to individuals in the group was incorrectly shared with outside organizations that were not within Phase 1A, Priority 1, of the distribution plan, Warner said.
“It was not approved by the Department of Health,” Warner said.
The vaccine is only available to those listed under the first phase of the state, including health workers, first responders and those working at long-term care facilities, the health department spokesman said. This is the first of four phases outlined by the Department of Health and Human Services in Michigan for the distribution of the vaccine.
Community members should not register with a link from anyone other than a health department official, as anything else could be a scam or an unauthorized link, Warner said. The health department will never ask for someone’s social security number, credit card number or financial or personal health information, she said.
“We are excited that the community is enthusiastic about the vaccine,” Warner said. “We ask for patience as we move through the phased approach outlined by MDHHS.”
Educators and other school workers are considered essential workers and will be vaccinated as part of Phase 1B, Warner said.
“Although we do not yet have an exact date for the start of Phase 1B, planning is underway,” Warner said. “When Kalamazoo County is ready to vaccinate other phases or priority groups, the Department of Health will directly engage with organizational leadership and provide additional information on vaccine clinics.”
When the start of vaccinations at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo was announced, health care officials predicted a preliminary start date of February 2021 for phase 1B of vaccinations, followed by phase 1C in March and phase 2 starting in the summer.
Phase 1B also includes frontline essential workers and individuals aged 75 and over. Phase 1C includes other essential workers, persons aged 65 to 74 years and individuals aged 16 to 64 years with underlying medical conditions.
The final phase of the vaccine distribution plan, Phase 2, includes all other adults 16 years of age or older.
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