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Health leaders were encouraging students to get their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine soon in order to be fully vaccinated for the start of the school year.
For example, the first day of class at Battle Creek Public Schools was set for Aug. 25, 2021. So if families wanted their children to be fully vaccinated by then, they would need to have their second dose by Aug. 11 because people reach full vaccination status two weeks after their final shot. This meant students should get their first dose by July 21 at the latest, because the Pfizer vaccine – approved for children 12 and older – required three weeks between doses.
To provide COVID-19 vaccination opportunities for children 12 and older, the Calhoun County Public Health Department scheduled numerous clinics throughout the community.
On Wednesday, July 14, 2021, the health department was slated to hold a clinic from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Marshall Opportunity High School, 225 E. Watson St., in Albion. The health department was also scheduled to hold a vaccine clinic on Thursday, July 22, 2021 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the north parking lot of Kellogg Community College, 450 North Ave., in Battle Creek. Another clinic was slated to take place on Tuesday, July 27 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Minges Creek parking lot, 5700 Beckley Rd., in Battle Creek.
No appointments were necessary for any of the clinics, but children ages 12 to 17 mist be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Brigette Reichenbaugh, the deputy health officer at Calhoun County Public Health Department, recommended students to get vaccinated.
“For students, if you’re vaccinated, you don’t have to quarantine when you’re either contact to a positive case or exposed to it,” said Reichenbaugh. “By getting vaccinated, you’re protecting yourself and your community – family members, grandparents all of that. For kids that are in sports, then that will help you, not help you, but you can avoid being quarantined when there’s a big game.”
Reichenbaugh said about 3,600 children in Calhoun County ages 12 to 19 had received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Of those, about 3,050 had received both rounds.
“It is low when we consider the number of children that are in the community,” Reichenbaugh said.
In addition to getting their COVID-19 vaccines, Reichenbaugh reminded families about other ways to get ready for the school year.
“Get your hearing and vision screening. Get your childhood immunizations. Make sure they’re up-to-date. And of course, get your COVID vaccine,” she said.
The Calhoun County Public Health Department also recommended that unvaccinated children who attend school in-person wear masks.
Meanwhile, in Kalamazoo County, the health department reported that 61% of county residents ages 12 and older had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 57% were fully vaccinated.