Health department preparing for next phase of vaccinations. 

Health department preparing for next phase of vaccinations. 

District Health Department #10 continues to vaccinate individuals in Phase 1A of the priority group. In a press release issued today, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, the health department reported that to date it has vaccinated approximately 604 individuals including DHD#10 staff, EMS, medical first responders, and people in medical care facilities.

“As we are now on a schedule to receive additional vaccine weekly, and under MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services) recommendations, we are expanding our effort to all of Phase 1A priority groups.  Clinics are scheduled this week for the health care provider priority group in Phase 1A and from they will be on a rolling weekly schedule,” spokeswoman Jeannine Taylor stated.  

“Because our vaccine supply is severely limited, we are targeting our efforts to the highest risk workers until the supply picks up and are asking that health care providers adhere to only registering staff who have direct patient contact. As our vaccines pick up, and as we receive second dose allotments, we will increase clinics to meet the new need including non-traditional clinic days/hours.”

While vaccine supplies are limited, vaccine clinics are invite-only and are scheduled at specific times. They are not walk-in vaccination clinics.

Phase 1A includes paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from home as well as residents in long-term care facilities.

Phase 1A is broken down to three priority groups:

• Priority One: Keep critical health care infrastructure open and functioning (i.e., hospitals, critical care units, and emergency medical response systems) through vaccination of staff who perform direct patient care and work in critical areas including:
  • Group A: Emergency medical service providers, including medical first responders
  • Group B: General medical floor
  • Group C: Emergency department
  • Group D: Intensive care units
• Priority Two: Prevent outbreaks and protect residents in long-term care facilities.
  • Group A: Vaccinate workers who have direct contact with large number of vulnerable residents. Note this would include staff who come in and out of the buildings.
    • Skilled nursing facility staff
    • Psychiatric hospital staff
    • Homes for aged staff
    • Adult foster care centers staff
    • Assisted living facility staff
    • Home health care workers caring for high-risk clients with large patient loads (e.g. people with a tracheostomy/ventilator at home)
  • Group B: Vaccinate vulnerable residents in long-term care facilities
    • Skilled nursing facility residents
    • Psychiatric hospitals patients
    • Homes for aged residents
    • Adult foster care centers residents
    • Assisted living facility residents
• Priority Three: Keep necessary health care infrastructure functioning.
  • Group A: Vaccinate workers with direct patient contact who conduct high risk procedures (e.g., dentists, endoscopy, dialysis).
  • Group B: Vaccinate other workers who have direct patient contact, including outpatient, urgent care, ambulatory care, and home health care.
  • Group C: Vaccinate workers with specialized skills critical to health care system functioning who have indirect patient contact (e.g. hospital and public health laboratories, pharmacy, and medical waste handlers).

Phase 1B

DHD#10 is currently working on planning for Phase 1B vaccination clinics. It will launch a pre-registration process for individuals to schedule their vaccine and will notify those in Phase 1B when it is launched. While vaccine supplies are limited, vaccine clinics are invite-only and are scheduled at specific times.

Phase 1B includes: Persons 65 years of age or older and frontline essential workers in critical infrastructure.

• Group A: Persons 65 years of age or older not covered in Phase 1A. This includes those in a congregate setting that were not reached in Phase 1A.
• Group B: Frontline essential workers in sectors essential to the functioning of society and at substantially higher risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 because their work related duties must be performed on site and involve being in close proximity (i.e., within 6 feet) to the public or to coworkers.
• MDHHS will use the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Program as well as continuity of operations plans in prioritization. Front line essential workers in critical infrastructure include:
  • 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 (e.g., firefighters, police)
  • Food and agriculture workers
  • Critical manufacturing workers
  • Corrections workers (ex. prisons, jails, juvenile justice facilities)
  • U.S. Postal Service workers
  • Public transit workers
  • Grocery store workers
  • Workers in homeless shelters, congregate childcare institutions, and adult and child protective services
  • Workers with unique skill sets not covered above, such as non-hospital laboratories and mortuary services

If further sub-prioritization is needed of frontline essential workers due to limited vaccine supply, MDHHS will consider prioritizing workers in locations where high rates of transmission and/or outbreaks have occurred and workers who are at increased risk for severe illness based on age or underlying medical conditions.

Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine. Locally, go to www.dhd10.org/covid-19-vaccine where you may find answers to your questions. For COVID-related questions, email the health department at covid@dhd10.org or call its COVID Hotline at 231-305-8675.

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