First COVID-19 Vaccines Arrive In Kalamazoo

A sure sign of hope in the battle against COVID-19 as Kalamazoo hospitals receive their first shipments of the locally made vaccine.

To say 2020 has been challenging would be an understatement. No matter your beliefs we can all agree that we are tired of COVID-19 and the many ways it has altered life. As we approach the end of one of the most difficult years in our nation's recent history a sign that life may be returning to normal is as simple as two men pictured with face masks and three boxes.

As this is being written, healthcare workers at both Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo and Ascension Borgess in Kalamazoo are receiving the first round of the potentially life-saving vaccine.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 vaccine dashboard, 244 Michigan residents have been vaccinated with Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. That number is expected to more than double in the next 24 hours.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations for prioritization of distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals. CDC recommendations are based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

• Phase 1A includes paid and unpaid persons serving in health care settings who have direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from home, as well as residents of long-term care facilities.
• Phase 1B includes workers in essential and critical industries, including workers with unique skill sets such as non-hospital or non-public health laboratories and mortuary services.
• Phase 1C includes people at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying medical conditions, and people 65 years and older.
• Phase 2 is a mass vaccination campaign for all individuals 16 years and older