Michigan Medicine will begin vaccinating patients 65 and older next week

ANN ARBOR Michigan Medicine plans to begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine to patients 65 or older as it enters the new priority phase next week.

Starting Monday, the healthcare system will begin sending invitations to its patients in this age bracket under the care of a Michigan Medicine primary care provider to schedule appointments through the MyUofMHealth portal or by mail. Those who have visited a Michigan Medicine provider in the past two years are also eligible for the vaccine.

Vaccination sites at Michigan Medicine are closed to the public and require an appointment.

Available appointments each week depend on supply, but the health system hopes that all patients in this group plan to receive the vaccine for the next two to three months.

“Michigan Medicine will enter this phase in partnership with the state, local health departments and other health systems in our region to work to vaccinate our community as soon as possible,” said Sandro Cinti, MD, one of Michigan Medicine’s leaders. vaccine distribution effort and infectious disease professor at UM Medical School said in a statement.

“We would not have been able to nearly complete Phase 1A without partnering with all of these groups, including the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.”

More than 200,000 patients fall into the age of 65 and older in the state of Michigan. Invitations to schedule the first dose of the vaccine are sent in batches, subject to availability.

To date, Michigan Medicine has received 21,700 doses of the Pfizer Inc./BioNTech vaccine and vaccinated 13,863 Phase 1A primary care individuals, including physicians, medical staff and healthcare students, under state and federal guidelines.

Thousands of appointments are already scheduled – some for second doses – in the coming days as Michigan Medicine works to use as much of its current vaccine supply as possible. It estimates it manages more than 90 percent of its inventory every week.

More shipments are expected next week, but the exact number of incoming vaccines is unknown. Michigan Medicine hopes to step up its efforts to administer 3,400 vaccinations daily at various locations, depending on supply.

Michigan Stadium recently opened as a vaccination site. Michigan Medicine administers vaccines seven days a week with plans to add campus locations.

“This is an important milestone in our efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus,” Cinti said in a statement. “We are delighted to be able to offer this life-saving vaccine to vulnerable patients. Our best tactic to combat this pandemic is to get this safe, effective vaccine to as many people as possible as soon as possible. That way, we also support vaccination efforts for communities across the state. “

Reaching out to communities of color is a top priority for Michigan Medicine, which has launched a robust community effort, including a free virtual town hall on Jan. 16 titled “COVID-19 and the African American Community.”

“It is critical that we engage everyone in an open discussion about the safety and efficacy of this vaccine, but especially with those communities of color who have long-standing concern and distrust over previous vaccination experiences,” said Tony Denton, senior vice-president. president and chief operating officer for University of Michigan Health System, which leads the community and leads the educational effort, said in a statement.

“We recognize that these concerns exist and are committed to removing all barriers and providing factual information to ensure equitable and ethical healthcare delivery to all population groups. We plan to invite and engage communities of color in open discussions to address fears, rethink the science of clinical trials, and build trust in individuals and families to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine. This is one of the most important public health efforts of our life. We strive to make a real difference in tackling equitable access. “

The transition to vaccinate individuals 65 or older is covered by Phase 1B of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan. On Wednesday, state officials approved the distribution of vaccines to the priority group from Monday.

Michigan Medicine is responsible for inoculating the entire University of Michigan community on its three campuses in Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint.

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