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Wayne County switching to Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine after rescheduling appointments

Posted at 5:14 AM, Jan 19, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-19 05:43:34-05

(WXYZ) — Wayne County is expected to receive 5,500 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday as the county will no longer receive the Pfizer vaccine.

The announcement came on Tuesday, and Wayne County officials tell 7 Action News that the state informed them Friday they would no longer get the Pfizer vaccine for first doses. On Sunday, the county began rescheduling first vaccinations scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday because it depleted its allotment of Pfizer vaccine. The Moderna vaccine is just as effective as the Pfizer vaccine but must be handled differently.

On top of that, the county is adding another vaccination site at Schoolcraft College at 18600 Haggerty Rd. in Livonia.

According to the county health officials, the move will only impact Phase 1A and 1B recipients who have not yet gotten their first dose. People waiting on the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine will still get it at the Health Administration Building in Wayne where they got the first dose.

“We know people are frustrated with the vaccine supply shortages from the state,” Wayne County Chief Health Strategist Dr. Mouhanad Hammami. said in a release “Our team is prepared to vaccinate more residents and better protect our communities as soon as we get more vaccine.”

The rescheduling affected about 1,400 people, mostly healthcare workers, first responders and essential workers not in Phase 1A.

County officials expect to announce more vaccination sites as more vaccine becomes available from the State of Michigan.

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