March 4, 2021 – Today, Ascension St. Mary’s, Covenant HealthCare, Meijer/SVSU, and Saginaw County Health Department are all holding vaccination clinics that, when completed, will put the county’s "doses administered" total over the 50,000 mark.
"The 50,000th dose administered is a milestone worth celebrating", says Chris Harrington, MPH, health officer, Saginaw County Health Department. “We are doing a fantastic job getting the limited doses we receive into the arms of those prioritized to receive them.” It’s an effort that includes great partners like hospitals and pharmacies, Harrington notes.
"Throughout the pandemic, the Covenant team has been at the frontlines of caring for the medical needs of the community. It is extraordinary and meaningful for all of us that one year later we are working together to end the spread of COVID-19 with the vaccine," says Ed Bruff, President/CEO, Covenant HealthCare.
Dr. Stephanie Duggan, Regional President, Ascension Michigan Northern Ministries, adds, "Ascension St. Mary's is proud of the partnership we have with the Saginaw County Health Department, other area healthcare organizations and the community, to be able to spread hope through vaccination and enable people to begin to return to a bit of normality."
Harrington notes that vaccine confidence remains high in Saginaw County, with demand far exceeding supply. "We are seeing promising signs," she notes. Weekly dose allocations are increasing, and all vaccine providers trying to schedule with seniors are encountering many who state they no longer need appointments because they have already been vaccinated. "The remaining number of adults 65+ who want the vaccine might not be as large as our registration lists indicate," Harrington believes. "But we still have our work cut out for us," she adds, indicating that the state’s announcement yesterday opening eligibility to adults 50+ potentially adds another 40,000 people to the demand side of the equation.