CANTON AND NORTON SHORES, Mich. — Mercy Health and St. Joseph Mercy Health System have received their first shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at four of their hospitals, according to a news release Thursday.
St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, St. Joseph Mercy Oakland and Mercy Health St. Mary’s in Grand Rapids have each received 975 doses, with Mercy Health Muskegon receiving 1,950 earlier Thursday.
The vaccines are being administered on a voluntary basis to health care personnel who meet the CDC-defined criteria of direct patient care to COVID-19 patients.
That includes those working in Covid units, intensive care units and emergency departments.
“I am amazed and deeply grateful to the colleagues across our health system who have worked tirelessly to operationalize the vaccine distribution at our hospitals,” said Dr. Rosalie Tocco-Bradley, chief clinical officer at Trinity Health Michigan. "We will continue to vaccinate as many employees as possible each week. We are confident in the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, and strongly encourage everyone ages 16 and older to be vaccinated as the vaccine becomes more widely available."
The health system expects to continue to receive weekly shipments of both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine once it becomes available.
St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea, St. Joseph Mercy Livingston and St. Mary Mercy Livonia should receive their first shipments next week.
All Trinity Health Michigan hospitals have ultra-cold freezers and are prepared to receive, store and distribute COVID-19 vaccines.