Fellow Yoopers,
Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital Is Committed to Vaccinating Our Community
Expanded access to the COVID-19 vaccine is an exciting time for patients of Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital. Since the pandemic began, the availability of a vaccine is the biggest game-changer towards stopping the spread of COVID-19. At this time, individuals aged 65 or older and some essential workers are now eligible to receive the vaccine. Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital is happy to begin moving from vaccinating our staff to members of the public.
This type of effort requires a large amount of resources, coordination and unfortunately, time. What we receive now in total quantity of vaccine is not adequate to vaccinate everyone who is eligible and wants a shot immediately. The good news is progress is being made at the federal and state levels to secure more vaccine. Yet we need patience and cooperation from the public as we begin scheduling vaccine appointments.
There is nothing we want more than to vaccinate as many people as we can, every day. Doing so not only benefits our public health, but our children’s education and our economy. Any vaccine that we have received has either been administered or is scheduled to be provided. By scheduling appointments for our drive-through clinic, we’re much better equipped to ensure that eligible individuals will receive vaccine in a safe and orderly environment.
Anyone receiving the vaccine will be monitored for 15 minutes to ensure they don’t experience any rare, serious reaction. There may be other minor side effects that follow the vaccination, which can include pain or soreness in the arm where you get the shot, fever, chills, tiredness or headache, which can last up to a day. The vaccines currently available also requires two doses, and the full immunity of the vaccine is not experienced until a week after the second shot. Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital is currently administering the Pfizer vaccine which requires a second dose 3 weeks after your first.
For those still evaluating your decision to receive the vaccine, we want to make sure you have a clear understanding of the vaccine and how it works. Each vaccine uses messenger RNA (mRNA), which is a copy of the virus’s code that tells the body’s immune system how to quickly recognize and fight the virus. No live COVID-19 virus exists in the vaccine and you cannot catch COVID-19 from the vaccine.
The speed at which each vaccine was developed was achieved by eliminating bureaucratic red tape within the existing vaccine development process and because funding already existed. No corners were cut that would jeopardize the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. It was properly reviewed and vetted by immunization experts from the FDA and CDC, and across the globe, scientists and medical experts consistently support the safety of the vaccine.
As I mentioned before, this process will take time. But the more people we can vaccinate, the sooner we can get back to normal. During these upcoming months, we must not let our guard down and will need to continue to wear our masks, wash hands regularly and practice social distancing. Once our more at-risk populations are vaccinated, we will continue to move through the prioritization groups so that more members of the public can receive the vaccine.
If you, a friend or a loved one falls into the current priority group, appointments can be scheduled online or by calling our hotline 906-341-3775. On behalf of Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, we look forward to seeing you in the coming months and working together to end the COVID-19 pandemic in Manistique and beyond.
To learn more regarding the safety, manufacturing and approvals of the COVID-19, visit www.Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine
We’re grateful for your continued support and cooperation.
Brighter days are ahead.
| Manistique Area Schools 6th-12th |
| Emerald Elementary School K-5th |
| St. Francis De Sales K-8th |
| Headstart Manistique Early Childhood Center |
| Daycare | All Schoolcraft County Daycare Providers |
| Police | Michigan State Police & Manistique Public Safety |
| Jail/Corrections | Schoolcraft County Sheriff Dept/ Department of Corrections |
| DHHS Child Protective Services | Michigan Dept of Health/Human Services |
| Vol Fire | Inwood Township |
| Vol Fire | Thompson Township |
| Vol Fire | Hiawatha Township |
| Vol Fire | Seney Township |
| Vol Fire | Manistique Township |
| Vol Fire | Doyle Township |
| Vol Fire | Germfask Township |
| Vol Fire | Mueller Township |
| Vol Fire | City of Manistique |
The State of Michigan, MDHHS, has created a FAQ document for the public. The information in this document will change frequently as we learn more about COVID-19 vaccines. There is a lot we are learning as the pandemic and COVID-19 vaccines evolve. The approach in Michigan will adapt as we learn more. The current document was updated on January 6, 2021.
Your best protection from COVID-19 will be a combination of getting a COVID-19 vaccine, wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet away from others, avoiding crowds, and washing your hands often. No one tool alone is going to stop the pandemic. Learn about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination so you’ll be ready when a vaccine is recommended: https://www.cdc.gov/…/about-vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html We are receiving a lot of questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine and priority groups. We encourage the public to learn more about how the State is prioritizing vaccine distribution. We will keep our community informed and let the public know when the vaccine is readily available. Please keep checking our website, Facebook and Instagram page for more information.
906-341-3200 
