Many in Calhoun County are Reluctant to be Vaccinated

Michigan’s high rate of COVID-19 is getting headlines, but the stats in our state and nationwide are making a good case for people to be vaccinated.   That’s the word from Calhoun County Health Officer Eric Pessell, who was a guest on the WBCK Morning Show with Tim Collins.

The trend is that most of these positives are among younger people as opposed to older people, and Pessell believes it’s easy to see why that’s happening.  “I think that's directly associated with who's been vaccinated and who hasn’t”, said Pessell.  “Our senior population here in Calhoun County is about 70% fully vaccinated.   That (senior) population is not even in the top three or four of the populations that we're seeing right now that are coming back positive.  Bluntly, we need to get more people vaccinated so we can go back to a way of life that we knew before March of 2020.  If you haven't been vaccinated, get vaccinated.”

To encourage more people to get the shots this week, the Health Department is having a walk-in clinic and two drive-thru clinics. 

• Tuesday, April 27, from 9a-2p Battle Creek Family Y-Center Multi-Sports Complex.  Enter off Cherry Street.   It’s a Pfizer second dose clinic, but they are taking walk-ins for first shots too.
•  Wednesday, April 28 from 3p-7p at Harper Creek High School, 12677 Beadle Lake Rd., Battle Creek, MI (Drive-Through)
•  Thursday, April 29 from 3p-7p at Kellogg Community College, North Parking Lot, 450 North Ave., Battle Creek, MI (Drive -Through)

Pessell says the drive-through clinics are made to be very easy.  “You don't even have to get out of your car.  Just show up,” said Pessell. “You don't need an appointment.  Just drive up, roll your window down, get your vaccine, wait 15 minutes, and drive away.”   Pessell said anybody 16 and older can come and be vaccinated, but he said 16 and 17-year-olds need to be accompanied by a parent.  

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Some recent news reports have indicated that some Americans are not getting their second Pfizer or Moderna shots, but Pessell says they haven’t seen that in Calhoun County.   “And hopefully we won't“, said Pessell.  “I will say one shot is better than no shot, but we want you to get fully vaccinated.   No matter what you believe or what you thought in the past, this is how we get out of this.”

As far as the current numbers in Calhoun County, Pessell says the positive tests are slowing down.  “It looks like we could have reached a peak sometime last week, which is good news.  Our rate of growth is slowing down. But you know, we still aren't seeing a downturn. We're not coming back downhill where we want to be, but hopefully, this is the beginning of an improvement.”

For more vaccine info, you can click here to go to the Calhoun County Health Department vaccine page.