Keeping You Up to Date On Vaccine-Related Issues
Kent County - Vaccine by the Numbers
I Got Vaccinated!

Shelley Grissom of Grand Rapids takes the crown and the honor of getting dose number 20,000 at the Kent County Health Department's vaccine clinic. Click here to watch Shelley's testimonial about getting vaccinated.
Current Vaccination Phase: Phase 1A & 1B

Phase 1A
At first, vaccine distribution will be limited and prioritized to paid and unpaid persons working in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from home, as well as residents and workers in long term care facilities. Read all three priority groups here.

Phase 1B
The State has also prioritized other essential workers who keep critical infrastructure open and functioning. This includes:
  • All people 65 years of age or older not covered in Phase 1A. This includes those in a congregate setting that were not already vaccinated in Phase 1A.
  • Prioritized frontline workers whose job requires frequent or intense exposure to others, and who, due to the nature of their work, are not able to maintain social distance. For example, a first responder may have to physically touch other people in their response, and a childcare provider cannot maintain social distance from children when caring for their physical needs.
  • Specific prioritized categories are:
  • Pre-Kindergarten through high school teachers, support staff and childcare workers who usually have direct contact with children
  • First responders not covered in Phase 1A (e.g., firefighters, police, conservation officers, inspectors)
  • Corrections workers (e.g., staff in prisons, jails, juvenile justice facilities)
  • Workers in homeless shelters, congregate childcare institutions, and adult and child protective service
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Considered Safe and Effective

On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine is overall safe and highly effective — 86 percent — against the most severe outcomes of the illness. Today, vaccine advisers to the FDA are meeting to discuss whether to recommend Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use authorization. If the agency authorizes this vaccine, it would be the first single-dose Covid-19 shot in the United States. Additionally, this vaccine does not require special refrigeration for shipment and storage.

While the authorization of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine will help expand the supply of COVID-19 shots, its availability will initially be limited. A Johnson & Johnson executive recently stated a total of 20 million doses would be ready by the end of March and that the company could deliver a total of 100 million doses by the end of June.
When Should I Receive the Second Shot?

We have received numerous questions from vaccine recipients questioning when to receive the second dose. The recommended interval for scheduling between dose one and dose two is:

  • Pfizer — 21 days
  • Moderna — 28 days

You should not receive dose two earlier than this recommended interval.

With that said, there is no maximum interval between dose one and dose two for either vaccine. If dose two is administered beyond 21 (Pfizer) or 28 days (Moderna), there is no need to restart the vaccination process.
Health Department Hosts Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic

The Kent County Health Department hosted a pop-up community vaccine clinic this week in Kentwood, vaccinating roughly 90 qualified residents. This clinic is part of the Health Department's ongoing efforts to make vaccine available to our most vulnerable populations and meet them where they are. It is one of several more vaccine clinics being planned throughout the County in the coming weeks.
Community Toolkit

We are developing a toolkit to help community-based organizations educate residents about the COVID-19 vaccine, raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination, and address common questions and concerns. How can you get started?

  • Continue to educate your community by answering common questions through social media posts.
  • Print copies of the Frequently Asked Questions flyer and use them as handouts or to hang in highly visible places in your community.
  • Invite community members to display signs once they have been vaccinated and post vaccination selfies on social media.

All these materials are available in multiple languages and we are continuing to add more materials to this toolkit. Please check back frequently for updates.
Call to Action - Get Registered!
In order to get the vaccine, you must register! To be notified when you are eligible to make an appointment for a vaccine, visit vaccinatewestmi.com/register/ and click on one provider and complete a COVID-19 vaccination registration. As doses become available, eligible individuals will be contacted by that provider to make an appointment.
Información en español
Para información en español haga clic aquí.
Kent County Health Department
700 Fuller Ave. NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
Tel: (616) 632-7100
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