Kent County, Spectrum Health, Mercy Health and Vaccinate West Michigan have come together to create a COVID-19 vaccination clinic that will allow large numbers of people to be vaccinated at one central location.
Vaccinations began Monday at DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW in Grand Rapids.
The vaccine clinic offers vaccines by appointment only based on vaccine availability. While this is a large-scale facility, current vaccine supply does not allow for full use of this capacity right now.
The clinic will begin with a small number of appointments, consistent with the number of vaccines available. The goal is that as more vaccine becomes available, more people will be scheduled for appointments at this location.
The size and configuration of DeVos Place are well-suited for a large-scale undertaking of this kind. The site was selected because it is on bus routes, accessible by multiple interstate highways, has adequate parking and is centrally located.
At this time, individuals designated by state and federal criteria are being vaccinated, including those 65 and older and certain essential workers such as teachers and child care workers. Appointments also are continuing for Phase 1A individuals, including health care workers, doctors, dentists and their staff.
The Kent County Health Department, Spectrum Health and Mercy Health also will continue to offer vaccine clinics at their respective locations across the region and will continue to increase appointments at those sites based on availability of vaccine.
Vaccines will be provided by appointment only. The first step in scheduling is to register for the vaccine by going to wmvaccineclinic.org or calling (833) 755-0696. Applicants will then be notified when they’re able to schedule.
To keep the number of people on-site to a minimum, individuals scheduled for an appointment are asked to come to DeVos Place by themselves, unless they need assistance or require a legal guardian or a durable power of attorney for health care to accompany them.
Vaccine recipients are asked to wait in an observation area for 15 minutes after inoculation. Child care is not available on-site, but scheduled adults with children will be allowed to enter the vaccination clinic so as many eligible adults can be vaccinated as possible.
Masks and social distancing will be required. Individuals with appointments will be asked to arrive promptly at their scheduled time to avoid unnecessary delays.
Parking will be available in the ramp under DeVos Place, which is accessible from Michigan and Lyon Streets. Additional parking options will be identified as people are contacted with their appointment information.
DeVos Place can be reached by taking the Silver Line, Laker Line and No. 11 Plainfield bus routes.
Organizers are looking for volunteers to assist in various roles at the clinic. More information about how to sign up for volunteer opportunities will be coming soon.
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