LANSING, Mich. — COVID-19 case numbers across the greater Lansing area are reaching their lowest point since the surge that overwhelmed local health departments in March.
As cases continue to decline and vaccines are made more available, health officials say normalcy feels closer than ever.
“It's important to get as much of the population vaccinated as possible so that we can move back towards normalcy,” Sparrow’s Administrative Director of Laboratories Jon Baker said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has laid out a “Vacc to Normal” plan for the state that will remove pandemic restrictions based on how many Michiganders are vaccinated.
As vaccination efforts ramp up, case numbers in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham and Jackson Counties are the lowest we’ve seen since the start of March, and more people than ever are eligible for the vaccine.
“This is a good opportunity to reach some of the students and younger age groups,” Baker said.
Sparrow Health has partnered up with Lansing-area high schools to bring pop-up vaccination clinics to teens.
Superintendent of Waverly Community Schools Kelly Blake says she’s grateful to be able to bring more vaccinations to the Waverly community through clinics like this one.
“We want to get as many of our students and their families and community members vaccinated so that we can get back to school in the fall in a normal fashion in a safe way,” Blake said.
“Our school vaccination clinics are running about 50 to 80 persons each time. And we're starting to get the word out a little bit more. So, we're starting to pick up a few more people that way,” she said.
Pfizer has been the only vaccine available to students 16 and older but as of Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine on children 12 and older.
“We haven't had the younger ones at this clinic, but hopefully another clinic will get to include ages 12 and up,” Blake said
Sparrow clinics like these pop-ups or the walk-in Frandor vaccination site are accepting all walk ins without an appointment.
“They're walk-in clinics, but students younger than 18 need to bring a guardian or parent and bring ID and no appointments necessary,” Blake said.
Sparrow has held vaccine clinics at Bath High School, Waverly High School and St. John’s High School and will be back to those sites again to administer second doses in the next few weeks. To find a pop-up site near you visit the Sparrow website.
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