MDHHS and hospitals continue to urge Michiganders to get vaccinated against COVID-19

LANSING, Mich. – Following FDA approval and a unanimous recommendation from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for those ages 16 and up, the Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services (MDHHS) is renewing its call to Michiganders to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“We now have a fully FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine and ACIP has added its unanimous recommendation,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. “For Michiganders who have been waiting for this approval, now is the time to get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and join the more than 4.7 million Michigan residents who are already fully vaccinated. The vaccine is our best defense against the virus and the way we are going to end this pandemic together.”

Medical leaders from 21 hospital systems signed an open letter to Michigan residents pleading for people to get vaccinated.

“Chief medical officers and chief nursing officers across the state are coming together because we cannot stand to see any more preventable deaths,” said Rosalie Tocco-Bradley, PhD, MD, MHSA, Chief Clinical Officer at Trinity Health Michigan. “Vaccination is proving to be our best path out of the pandemic, and now have a fully approved COVID-19 vaccine that can prevent serious illness and death. As leaders of healthcare teams that have been on the frontlines of this pandemic, we are asking that Michigan residents get vaccinated to stop putting patients, health care workers and their neighbors at risk.”

Across the United States, approximately 99% of individuals dying from COVID-19 are unvaccinated, according to the CDC.

"Thousands of nurses across the state, working inside emergency rooms to intensive care units, are being called on once again to care for rising numbers of COVID-infected patients,” said Barbara W. Rossmann, MS, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Henry Ford Health System. “Stopping this surge is within our control, which is why we’re coming together to urge unvaccinated Michiganders to get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe, and it is effective.”

As of Wednesday, the Henry Ford Health System reports 92% of their staff have received their first shot.

HERE IS THEIR DATA FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST:

• 90 COVID patients across their 5 hospitals
• 90% of the cases in their hospital are unvaccinated people
• Positivity testing rate hovering around 10% this week

“Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do for your health, the health of your family, the health of your friends, and the health of your community.” - Adnan Munkarah, M.D., Executive Vice President, HFHS