COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
12/21/2020 4:27:00 PM - Nimkee Clinic

COVID-19 Vaccination Plan

The COVID-19 pandemic affected our community and the way we live, work, gather and interact with each other for the better part of the past year. The COVID-19 vaccine will provide the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal community the best opportunity to fight the virus and protect one another. Nimkee Memorial Wellness is planning for distribution of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available. Below, you will find a summary of the vaccine distribution plan:

Source of COVID-19 Vaccine

Nimkee Memorial Wellness Center opted to collaborate with the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) to receive COVID-19 vaccine. Nimkee Clinic has a historically positive, supportive relationship with our local health department, which greatly influenced our decision to continue our collaboration with both our local health department and MDHHS in the distribution process of the COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Pfizer and Moderna both submitted vaccines to the FDA for consideration for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Each of these companies were granted EUA’s to begin delivering COVID-19 vaccine across the country. Nimkee Clinic will be receiving the Moderna vaccine. The vaccine is a two-dose series, requiring a first dose and then a second dose 28 days later. Additional vaccines are still in the trial phases and are expected to become available next year.

Vaccination Administration Phased Approach

As the initial supply of vaccine will not be sufficient to vaccinate the whole of the SCIT community, a phased approach, outlined by the federal government, will be implemented to distribute vaccine. The guiding principal for the phased approach is to protect those at highest risk of exposure, maintain our capability of delivering adequate medical care to the community, protect the most vulnerable, and reduce hospitalizations, severe disease and death from the COVID-19 virus. Outreach will be done to priority groups to identify individuals who want to receive vaccination as supplies become available. We ask that everyone please understand that this phased approach is likely to take several months.

Vaccination Prioritization List

Phase 1A

? Health care personnel and long-term care facility residents

Phase 1B

? Frontline essential workers and persons aged 75 years and older

Phase 1C

? Other essential workers and persons 65-74 years

? Persons aged 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions

Phase 2

? A mass vaccination campaign for all individuals 16 years and older

Vaccine Administration

Nimkee Clinic staff will administer vaccinations as they become available. We are continuing to formulate the details for appropriate documentation and reporting of vaccinations. As the vaccine incorporates two doses, there are also logistics to define for proper notification of when/how to receive their subsequent dose.

What to do if you want the vaccine

If you would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available, please call our COVID Vaccine Hotline at 989-775-4959 and leave a message with your name, phone number, and whether you are a tribal member, registered patient of Nimkee Clinic or employee of SCIT. You will be placed on the list for vaccine in the appropriate prioritization phase and we will contact you when the vaccine becomes available.