State poll: 70% of Michigan residents have been vaccinated or plan to

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- A new poll shows Michigan could hit its goal of vaccinating 70 percent of its residents, but health officials are saying those mass vaccine clinics we’ve seen might be things of the past.

Over at Ford Field in Detroit, 275,000 shots were administered these past eight weeks, but that was still 60,000 short of the state’s goal.

In Berrien County, vaccine supply continues to surpass the demand as well.

They’ve administered about 4,000 in the past week, while two weeks ago, it was over 7,000. 

“We know that our days of hosting mass vaccination clinics with thousands of people coming through in a single day are done,” said Gillian Conrad, MPH, Communications Manager at the Berrien County Health Department.

The health department and Lakeland Hospital are now even bringing their teams straight to offices, churches and any other organization – hoping employers take advantage of the easy access. 

“By hosting clinics right on-site for their employees, this has happened at a variety of offices, manufacturing, as well as our nuclear power plant, right at their workplace,” said Conrad.

Plus – a new, statewide poll by the Protect Michigan Commission had some promising findings – but, proved vaccine hesitancy is still prevalent.  

“Although more than 70 percent of Michigan residents report they are vaccinated or have a plan to get vaccinated, there is some strong resistance among those not yet choosing to be vaccinated, and residents in the thumb – Flint, Bay, Saginaw region – showing the highest resistance,” said Kerry Ebersole Singh, Director of the Protect Michigan Commission.

All while the state continues to move its “Vacc to Normal” plan forward, with the ultimate goal of 70 percent of Michiganders being vaccinated.

“Herd immunity isn’t just some magical number at 70 percent that once we reach it, COVID-19 goes away, but rather fades gently into the background where we just don’t have to worry about it quite as much,” said Conrad.

Berrien County health officials do say we have come down the other side of that surge Michigan saw in the beginning of April.

To see the full report on the Protect Michigan Commission’s study, click here.