PRESS RELEASE: GHP provides COVID-19 vaccines in response to uptick in COVID-19 cases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 3, 2022
Shannon Ciszek, Communications Coordinator, Genesee Health Plan, 810.232.7740, sciszek@countyhealthplans.org

Genesee Health Plan provides COVID-19 vaccines in response to uptick in COVID-19 cases

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Members among attendees, some receiving first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

FLINT – Genesee Health Plan (GHP) provided a Drive-Thru Vaccine Event in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases. Genesee County community members, current and former GHP members, City of Flint residents including the deaf and hard of hearing community attended the event. An ASL Interpreter was available at the event, provided by the Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Genesee County residents began lining up at 2:30 p.m. to participate in the event by rolling down their windows and rolling up their sleeves to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from their vehicles. Among those in attendance were former State Representative and County Commissioner, Brenda Clack, and State Representative Tim Sneller.

“We wanted to provide a vaccine event that was inclusive of all members of the Genesee County community, so that those who wanted information and the COVID-19 vaccine were able to get their questions answered to make an informed decision about their health,” said E. Yvonne Lewis, director of outreach at GHP. “In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, we felt it was important to offer the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and education.”

Through funding from the Genesee Community Health Center and Michigan Health Endowment Fund, GHP was able to educate community members on the COVID-19 vaccine and provide access to information and resources. The event acted as a conduit for the community which ultimately encouraged 43 community members to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at the event, 17 of whom were Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Several attendees received their first dose during this event.

“By providing an interpreter, the Deaf and Hard of hearing individuals were able to have access to communication,” said Theresa Miracle, executive director of the Communication Access Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. “The Deaf and Hard of Hearing community members were able to communicate and ask questions, making this event a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

As learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid use has spiked, contributing to an increase in opioid related deaths. In response, the Genesee Community Health Center utilized its Mobile Unit to provide Naloxone (Narcan) training and training kits to 16 community members.

“Adding Narcan training to this event provided an extra opportunity for community members to get involved and be trained on how to identify an opioid overdose and safely administer the reversal medication,” said Jean Troop, executive director of Genesee Community Health Center. “With the rise in opioid overdose during the pandemic, it is important for the public to be more aware of this problem and take steps to help bring opioid overdose numbers down.”