Genesee County, MI—The Genesee County Health Department (GCHD) is continuing to administer vaccinations at walk-in clinics for June 2023.
GCHD has expanded its offerings of vaccinations at the clinics to include not only COVID-19 vaccines, but also immunizations for mpox (monkeypox) and flu since May. These vaccinations are available without appointment.
Below is the June schedule for GCHD’s walk-in clinics:
- Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church of Flint, 2120 Saginaw St.
- June 8 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 2316 Coldwater Rd.
- June 20 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
- Flint Central Church of the Nazarene, 1261 Bristol Rd.
- June 28 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
If eligible, individuals can also schedule a time to receive other vaccines such as the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization as well as the shingles vaccine by calling (810) 237-4588.
GCHD is reducing the number of walk-in clinics available beginning in June due to low demand for the clinics, according to JoAnne Herman, COVID-19 nurse coordinator at GCHD. She said the health department will be able to offer more walk-in clinics if needed in the future.
COVID vaccines provided at GCHD remain free of charge as the health department receives its supplies from the federal government, Herman noted. The mpox vaccine is also free, while other vaccinations may be billed depending on insurance status.
Vaccination appointments are available at GCHD’s Burton clinic as well, and the public health department also offers COVID vaccination home visits for people unable to leave home due to health issues.
With the end of the COVID public health emergency declaration on May 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed some of its metrics for tracking COVID.
For instance, the CDC has replaced the COVID community levels metric with levels of COVID hospital admission.
Genesee County recorded 25 cases of new hospital admissions of confirmed COVID between May 14 to May 20. Within that time, the county saw roughly five COVID hospital admissions for every 100,000 people. Overall, the CDC shows that Genesee County had a low level of COVID hospital admissions like all counties in Michigan, as of May 20.
In the meantime, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized an additional updated vaccine, or bivalent vaccine, for adults aged 65 and up and most people who are immunocompromised.
Herman advised residents to stay up to date with their COVID vaccines as summer gatherings begin to ramp up. She also recommended immunocompromised individuals to consult with their physicians about their needs for immunization.
“In the summer months, there are many activities. People are in closer contact with events going on,” Herman said. “I think what everybody can do [as] the best effort to protect themselves is to receive a bivalent vaccine if they’re due.”