Winter storm halts vaccination clinic for teachers

BERTRAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- The winter storm put a halt to vaccination efforts Tuesday, with Berrien County officials forced to call off a mass vaccination clinic that was set to get nearly 1,000 educators their first round of the shot.

The Berrien County Health Department is now working to reschedule 900 staff members from multiple school districts, but they’re waiting to hear when the Michigan National Guard can get back out to help and watching the weather to make sure it’s safe for workers to be outside operating mass clinics.

However, plans are still set for some smaller clinics this week for those 65 and up – and that schedule is jam packed – so, the health department said if you’ve been notified of your appointment, plan to still be there.

“We’re going to be at a variety of community locations, not only at our office but out at senior centers, area churches,” said Gillian Conrad, MPH, Communications Manager at the Berrien County Health Department. “Providing those vaccinations to not only our educators and school staff, but also adults over the age of 65, and we’re starting to provide second doses.”

The health department continues to move swiftly through its waitlist – combined with Spectrum Health Lakeland, they’ve given out nearly 20,000 shots in just these past two months.