Saginaw County Reaches 50,000 Dose Milestone for COVID-19 Vaccine

More than 50,000 Saginaw County residents been vaccinated against COVID-19 after several vaccination clinics held Thursday.  Saginaw County Health Officer Christina Harrington called it a milestone worth celebrating,  “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.”

“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,” said 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.