During the March 15 stakeholder’s meeting, Ruth Kraut, deputy health officer of the Washtenaw County Health Department, shared information about the department’s numerous vaccination outreach programs.
The Washtenaw County Health Department has established mass vaccination sites in Ypsilanti, in partnership with St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, and in Chelsea, in partnership with St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea and the Chelsea School District. The goal in establishing these large-scale sites on the east and west sides of the county is to ensure that county residents are no more than 20 minutes away from a vaccination site.
The department is also conducting tailored outreach efforts to vaccinate difficult-to-reach populations through:
- Pop-up vaccination clinics designed to strengthen the equitable distribution of vaccines. These are held at apartment buildings, schools, and churches across the county. If your organization is interested in hosting a pop-up clinic for 100 – 2,000 individuals, complete this survey.
- Mobile vaccination teams–the county’s Nurse on the Run program–that bring vaccines to hard-to reach populations at group homes and assisted living facilities as well as to homebound and disabled individuals with caregivers.
- Shuttles to the Ypsilanti vaccine site through a partnership with the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. Learn more.
- A phone line for unvaccinated individuals who are 65+ and those who are unable to use online resources to schedule appointments. If you meet these qualifications, leave a message at 734-544-6700.
The Health Department is also working with its Racial Equity Office to design a Vaccine Ambassador Program for individuals who are interested in sharing vaccine facts with their neighbors.
As of March 30, the Washtenaw County Health Department has administered 49,234 vaccine doses including 29,207 first doses and 20,027 second doses. Between vaccines administered by the Washtenaw County Health Department, and those administered by IHA, Meijer, Michigan Medicine, Rite Aid, the St. Joseph Mercy Health System, and the VA Health System of Ann Arbor, the county estimates that 80.2 percent of Washtenaw County seniors and 37.4 percent of residents age 16-plus have been vaccinated.
To determine if you are eligible for a health department vaccine appointment, and to find out if appointments are available, complete this online form. The health department is prioritizing individuals by when they first became eligible for the vaccine, according to state guidelines.
For additional resources, including COVID-19 email updates, video updates in English and Spanish, vaccine flyers in English and Spanish, and more, visit the health department’s COVID-19 Vaccination page.