Letter to the Editor-Health Department Vaccine Progress

The COVID-19 vaccines are Michigan’s best hope for ending the pandemic. The Central Michigan District Health Department has vaccinated more than 7,970 residents, and the state of Michigan recently passed the 1 million vaccines distributed mark! Progress is being made, although often not as fast as we would like.

Because there are limited supplies of vaccine available, we recognize the concerns about vaccines being distributed outside of the federal and state recommendations. While we expect phases to overlap slightly, we are confident that the vast majority of vaccine being distributed is following the guidance.

It’s important to note that your local health partners are moving as quickly as possible to make vaccine available as capacity and allotment allows. We ask that you have patience with the process, and promise that anyone who wants the vaccine, will receive it!

Remember, we all need to continue preventative measures such as wearing masks properly, social distancing, and hand washing to reduce the spread of COVID in our communities even as the vaccine is being administered. As vaccine becomes available, having patience with local health and each other, and continuing to practice masking up will be vital for moving Michigan forward safely, as quickly as possible.

We’ve come so far since the start of this pandemic, and we finally have hope on the horizon. If you meet the current priority groups, visit www.cmdhd.org to register if you’d like to receive the vaccine. Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and its safety from sources such as CDC.gov/Coronavirus or Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.

Steve Hall, RS, MS

Health Officer

Central Michigan District Health Department