Test Box Arrives for Safety Check Prior to Vaccine Arrival

MIDLAND, Mich. – In preparation of receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine, Stephanie Jenkins, pharmacy buyer, MidMichigan Medical Center – Midland, processes a Pfizer “test box” that was recently received. The test box utilizes the same material the vaccine will be shipped in and allows the pharmacy staff to conduct safety checks ahead of the COVID-19 vaccine scheduled to arrive later this month.

Additional preparation measures include the purchase of two “ultra-cold” freezers to house the health system’s vaccine shipments. Each freezer can hold 30,000 vaccine doses at the required temperature of -94 degrees Fahrenheit. If the Food and Drug Administration approve the vaccine by Dec. 10 as planned, MidMichigan Health will be able to start administering vaccinations as early as the week of Dec. 21. The health system will work alongside local health departments in the phased plan of vaccine dissemination.

As a service to the community, MidMichigan Health hosts a COVID-19 informational hotline with a reminder of CDC guidelines and recommendations. Staff is also available to help answer community questions Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hotline can be reached toll-free at (800) 445-7356 or (989) 794-7600. Inquiries can also be sent to MidMichigan Health via Facebook messenger at www.facebook.com/midmichigan.

MidMichigan Health, a non-profit health system headquartered in Midland, Michigan, is a leader in providing award-winning, high-quality care to the 23-county region it serves. With Medical Centers in Alpena, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Midland, Mt. Pleasant and West Branch, MidMichigan Health provides a full continuum of care across a wide array of settings, including urgent care centers, home health, virtual care, as well as medical offices in more than 30 specialties and subspecialties including cardiology, hematology/oncology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, family medicine and more. MidMichigan Health demonstrates its commitment to the future of medicine by partnering with leading institutions to offer medical education programs that train medical students, physicians, nurse practitioner and physician assistant students, nursing students and other clinical experts for our region. Its more than 8,800 employees, volunteers and health care providers work together to create healthy communities through solutions designed to meet the ever-changing needs of the 938,000 residents in the health system’s service area. In fiscal year 2020, MidMichigan Health provided more than $91 million in community benefits, as well as supported its patients and families with new equipment, services and programs with funds raised by the MidMichigan Health Foundation.