One of the largest mass vaccination clinics in the state of Michigan ends today at Ford Field in Detroit, as the state shifts now to customized-by-community grassroots efforts aimed at encouraging more Michigan residents to get their COVID vaccine.
That news comes on the heels of a report that indicates more than 70-percent of the state’s residents saying they are vaccinated or in the process of getting vaccinated. The numbers come from a new statewide poll commissioned by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Protect Michigan Commission.
The poll results, which arrive as the state’s mass vaccination clinic at Ford Field is ceasing operations today, are prompting MDHHS and Protect Michigan Commission leaders to look at new and innovative grassroots activities to increase Michigan’s vaccination rate.
Protect Michigan Commission Director Kerry Ebersole Singh said during a virtual news conference today, “While it’s worth celebrating the successes we have achieved at Ford Field since the clinic opened March 24th, at the same time, we recognize the challenge that lies ahead in Michigan as we continue to try to get all eligible Michiganders vaccinated.”
The MDHHS statewide public opinion survey was conducted May 5th-to-9th. The analysis is based on an online survey of a representative sample of Michigan’s population, balanced by demographics (age, race/ethnicity and sex) and region of the state.
The first goal was to collect data that will allow MDHHS to empower people with the information they need to gain confidence to get vaccinated. The second goal was to collect data that will support the plans and decisions related to reopening.
Results show:
- Though more than 70-percent of Michigan residents report they are vaccinated or in the process of getting vaccinated, there is strong resistance among those not yet vaccinated.
- Residents in the Thumb/Flint/Bay/Saginaw region show the highest resistance.
- The Wayne/Washtenaw/Monroe region has the largest share of undecided residents.
- Of the unvaccinated group, 2-in-3 (64-percent) expressed rejection of the vaccines, and 1-in-3 (36-percent) expressed openness to get a vaccine under various circumstances and motivations.
- The survey asked residents how much they trust different people and authorities to provide reliable information regarding COVID-19 vaccines. The authorities or people whom Michigan residents trust the most are their personal doctor (where 80-percent reported they “trust” or “trust a lot”) or family members (72-percent), followed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health agencies (60-percent).
- The survey asked residents what their preference would be if they had a choice among the different available vaccine types: Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. Responses show a strong preference for the Pfizer vaccine. Of the 82-percent of respondents who reported to have preference, 55-percent indicated they would prefer Pfizer, twice the share of respondents who reported they would prefer Moderna (27-percent) and almost triple the share who chose Johnson & Johnson (19-percent).
- Overall, 61-percent of Michigan residents expressed support for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s four-step “Vacc to Normal” plan to ease Michigan’s COVID-19 restrictions as vaccine rates increase.
- Finally, the data shows a strong link exists between reopening and vaccination rates. About half of respondents say that the plan to tie reopening schedules to vaccination rates encourages them to get vaccinated.
As of Friday, the state had 55.7-percent of people with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but demand is slowing. The state hit its first benchmark, 55-percent, on May 10th, allowing in-person office work to resume on May 24th.
Singh today said the state is exploring opportunities to increase vaccine access points throughout the state in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) and the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA). Currently, the city of Detroit is giving away $25 gift cards for getting vaccinated, and it’s also offering gift cards to “good neighbors” who take another Detroiter to get vaccinated.
Singh notes, “We are absolutely always thinking of innovative ways to vaccinate our state.”
While vaccines are widely available in Michigan, some people are reluctant to get the shots. Others have not been able to because of their work schedules, child care obligations, lack of transportation or other obstacles, according to Singh.
Nationally, public health authorities are responding to the challenges by shifting efforts from mass vaccination sites such as Ford Field and focusing on communities with the lowest vaccination rates.
This hyper-local approach, using census-style canvassing operations, education campaigns and mobile vaccination events, hinges on making the shots easy to reach — and helping the hesitant change their minds.
Singh suggests, “We’re going to use this data from the public opinion survey to help inform our decisions moving forward as we transition from mass clinics and look to develop new partnerships with a hyper-local focus on grassroots activities.” She adds, “Tailored community outreach is what the Protect Michigan Commission is going to embrace to help us get all eligible Michiganders vaccinated against COVID-19.”
Singh was joined at the press conference heralding the “overwhelming success” of the Ford Field clinic that ceases operation today by:
- Detroit Lions Team President and CEO Rod Wood
- Kevin Sligh, Acting Regional Administrator for FEMA Region 5
- Dr. Steven Rockoff, Service Chief of Emergency Medicine at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, who served as Medical Director of the Ford Field mass vaccination site
Ford Field is Michigan’s largest on-site COVID-19 vaccination clinic and opened to the public on March 24th. Ford Field was selected according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention priority tool to help those hardest hit and most vulnerable. The clinic has operated from 8 am to 8:30 pm seven days a week for eight weeks under the federal government’s vaccination pilot program. The site has been managed by the state of Michigan and MDHHS with support from FEMA, Wayne County, the city of Detroit, Ford Field, Meijer, Henry Ford Health System, the Detroit Lions and the Protect Michigan Commission.
Ford Field vaccination highlights announced today during the press event include:
- Staff provided nearly 275,000 vaccines to Michiganders who came to the Detroit Lions stadium from 70 of Michigan’s 83 counties.
- The Ford Field team has delivered shots in arms to approximately 14,000 12- to 17-year-olds either on-site or mobile.
- Over this past 8-week span, only 331 doses of vaccination were wasted or spoiled. That amounts to less than .001-percent, which means the team at Ford Field successfully utilized 99.99-percent of the vaccinations received.
- As of Thursday last week, either through the on-site operation at Ford Field or through its mobile vaccine clinics, nearly 270,000 Pfizer doses and more than 1,000 J&J doses were administered.
- Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties and the City of Detroit account for 257,346 of all doses administered through Ford Field as of Thursday, totaling a combined 95-percent.
Gov. Whitmer created the Protect Michigan Commission in January. The appointees represent a diverse array of industries, professions and backgrounds, including leaders from SBAM and the MRLA.
Housed within the MDHHS, the commission members are charged with helping to ensure every Michigander has a plan to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
