ANN ARBOR, MI – Michigan Medicine is moving to the next priority phase of vaccinations, with plans to vaccinate patients 65 and older against COVID-19 during the week of January 11, the health system announced in a news release on Thursday.
On Monday, patients in Michigan Medicine in the age group currently in the care of a principal provider in Michigan Medicine, or those who have been on a Michigan medicine visit for the past two years, will receive invitations to schedule appointments.
“Michigan Medicine continues into this phase in partnership with the state, local health departments and other health systems in our region to vaccinate our community as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Sandro Cinti, one of the leaders of Michigan Medicine, said. vaccination spread effort and professor of infectious diseases at UM Medical School.
While available appointments each week depend on the provision of vaccines, Michigan Medicine said they hope to offer vaccination to all patients in this group who want to be vaccinated in the next two to three months. Vaccination rooms for Michigan Medicine are not open to the public and require an appointment.
More than 200,000 patients from communities across the state fall into category 65 and older. The invitations will be issued in groups, depending on the availability of vaccines.
Michigan Medicine has so far received 21,700 doses of the Pfizer Inc./BioNTech vaccine, and as of January 7, they have vaccinated 13,863 physicians, staff, and health care students in the Phase 1A category. Thousands of appointments are already planned in the coming days, which along with the second doses will use up a large portion of the current vaccine supply, officials said.
While the exact number is still unclear, additional doses are expected next week, and depending on supply, Michigan Medicine says it could increase the volume to an average of 3,400 vaccinations daily, which could operate seven locations seven days a week, including one in the Michigan Stadium. . Additional sites are planned to expand capacity with enough available vaccine, according to the release.
“This is an important milestone in our effort to fight the COVID-19 virus,” Cinti said. ‘We are delighted to be able to offer this life-saving vaccine to vulnerable patients. Our best tactic to combat this pandemic is to get this safe, effective vaccine for as many people as quickly as possible. In doing so, we also support vaccination efforts for communities across the state. ”
Michigan Medicine will also participate in a community outreach and education effort, including a key focus on achieving color communities. The health system offers a free virtual city hall on January 16, “COVID-19 and the African-American community.”
Tony Denton, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Michigan Medicine, will lead the community outreach and education initiative.
“It’s crucial that we all have an open discussion about the safety and efficacy of this vaccine, but especially for the color communities that have long been concerned about and mistrust of vaccinations in the past,” Denton said.
“We acknowledge that these problems exist and want to remove any barriers and provide factual information to ensure fair and ethical delivery of healthcare in all populations. We plan to invite color communities and engage in open discussions to address fears, explore the science of clinical trials, and build trust for individuals and families to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This is one of the most important public health efforts of our lifetime. ‘
Vaccinating more than 200,000 patients in this age group of 65 years and older can take two to three months, and Cinti stressed that the ability to vaccinate depends on how much stock is available.
Established patients available in Michigan will be contacted via the MyUofMHealth Patient Portal or by email to invite them to make an appointment to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.
“Our healthcare teams have worked tirelessly to care for all of our patients during this pandemic, and every shot in the arm makes our community safer,” Cinti said. ‘However, everyone should still be vigilant, because this fight against COVID-19 is a marathon, not a sprint. We still have millions of vaccinations. We still need people to wear masks, do social distance, stay home if you can and wash your hands. ”
Due to potential limitations in the vaccine supply, Michigan Medicine said it coordinates a phased approach of priority groups to offer the vaccine based on state and federal guidelines. Michigan Medicine follows the guidelines issued by the state of Michigan on Wednesday that vaccinations can be given to those who fall into the Phase 1B category, and it begins on Monday, January 11th. Phase 1B contains real essential workers in critical infrastructure, in addition to people 65 years and older.
Michigan Medicine is responsible for vaccinating the entire University of Michigan, which spans three campuses: Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint.
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