Wayne County has rolled out a new “Public Health Senior Vaccination Program,” simultaneously vaccinating seniors age 65 and older in the most expedient way to fight COVID-19. However, the City of Wyandotte is currently waiting in line behind several other communities on the roll out list, and the entire program depends on how many vaccine dosages are allocated to the county, and when those shipments become available.
Wyandotte is among the "orange" regional grouping of over 47,000 people ages 65 and older in the 17 communities in our region. Vaccinations will come to the City after Ecorse, Hamtramck, Highland Park, River Rouge, Lincoln Park, Harper Woods, Southgate, and Riverview. The groupings, and the order of vaccinations, were based on a Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), which accounts for 15 different socio-economic factors that affect the health and wellness of a community’s residents. This is done to get vaccine to the most vulnerable residents first. For more information on how SVI rankings are determined, please click here. (See photo below of rankings based on regions.)
Once the communities were ranked by region and SVI, Health Department staff took the available doses the county will receive for the coming week and divided into equal amounts. That amount becomes the number of first doses delivered in each region for that week. Health Department staff then starts with the most at-risk communities in each region, based on SVI, and works to schedule a clinic with local municipalities, or host it at one of the county sites if that is more convenient.
Local municipalities will handle the scheduling of the vaccine appointments once the times are put into place. This is the same process the county followed for prioritizing vaccination for school districts, with the school districts scheduling the appointments.
Wyandotte residents ages 65 or older or ages 50-64 with underlying health conditions, please call (734) 324–7275 to submit your name, date of birth, phone number, and address to schedule an appointment. The Clinic will be held Saturday, March 13 from 9 to 3 p.m. at the Copeland Center, 2306 Fourth St., Wyandotte.
Common Questions
Q: When will my community be scheduled?
A: This will be determined by the SVI for each community in each of four regions created by Wayne County. The Wyandotte clinic has now been set for Saturday, March 20, 2021 from 9 to 3 p.m. at the Wayne County Community College, Downriver Campus, 21000 Northline Rd, Taylor, MI 48180
Q: What happens if we have more seniors who want to receive a vaccine than we have vaccine allotted?
A: Each community will receive a sufficient supply of the vaccine, based on availability. If more is needed, additional vaccine clinic days will be scheduled until every senior who wants to be vaccinated is vaccinated.
Q: Why is the positivity rate or case rate excluded from rankings?
A: Case rates are variable. The Social Vulnerability Index does not change based on the number of cases in a community. This gives us a standard measurement to base rankings on. Case data as it is collected by the state does not provide a positivity rate for individual communities, just countywide.
Q: Why are communities with smaller senior populations going ahead of ones with more seniors?
A: Communities are ranked in each region based on the SVI for that community. Vaccine doses remain limited and we need to prioritize distribution based on the amount the county receives each week.
Q: Why use the federal Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to determine which community goes first?
A: The SVI is calculated the same way for each community. It’s the simplest way to rank communities to ensure the vaccine goes to places where it is needed most. From the first round of COVID-19 last spring, we know the disease disproportionately harms people in communities with higher SVIs.
Q: Should seniors stop trying to schedule a vaccine through their health system?
A: Seniors should keep trying to schedule a vaccine appointment with their health system. If they are also able to schedule one with a local community clinic, they should take the first appointment available to them and cancel other appointments.
Q: Why is the county planning smaller vaccine clinics instead of larger regional ones?
A: Ideally, we want to take the vaccine to where the seniors are. We know transportation and mobility are issues for some. Having smaller, local clinics will help seniors stay closer to home and make it easier to schedule an appointment. With that said, the county may schedule regional clinics where multiple communities can be served at the same time, so long as vaccine is available.
Q: I can’t get through on the number for my clinic; what should I do?
A: Please be patient and keep trying. In the meantime, seniors should still try and get vaccinations through other means (the local hospital, Meijer, CVS, Rite-Aid, etc.)
Wayne County Vaccination Program Process
Wayne County COVID-19 Resources