A partnership with the Saginaw Community Foundation (SCF), Saginaw County Health Department (SCHD) and several other organizations has resulted in the creation of the Health and Community Connected (HCC) Workgroup, which is aimed at improving community health. 

The workgroup is supporting access and education of COVID-19 vaccines to those who are considered to be most at risk of being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

To inform their efforts the workgroup is utilizing the Socially Vulnerable Index (SVI), which is a “tool that uses census data to identify and map places where a community may have more difficulty preventing human suffering and financial loss in a disaster.”

According to the SVI, factors contributing to social vulnerability may include individuals who earn wages below the poverty level, individuals who have a disability, senior citizens, race and ethnicity, household composition and individuals without access to reliable transportation, among others. 

According to the Saginaw County Health Department, nearly 10% of the population of Saginaw County is considered “socially vulnerable."

To ensure equitable access to the vaccine, SCF and SCHD have allocated $60,000 to increase education and awareness building of COVID-19 vaccines in the community. The funding will support a media campaign with messaging about the vaccine that will be shared on the radio, through the newspaper, education sessions and materials and social media posts.

“The Saginaw Community Foundation, as a member of the Health and Community Connected Workgroup and a financial supporter of the Saginaw County Health Department’s outreach and awareness campaign, is confident in the approach the health department has outlined to address the health and wellness of all Saginaw County residents in the most efficient way to deliver services during this critical and sensitive time,” Reneé Johnston, president and CEO, Saginaw Community Foundation and CMF trustee said.

The HCC includes the following organizations:

•    Saginaw Community Foundation
•    Saginaw County Health Department 
•    NAACP Saginaw Branch
•    Saginaw African American Pastors 
•    St. Joes Catholic Church
•    Covenant Hospital
•    Ascension St. Mary’s Hospital
•    Great Lakes Bay Health Centers
•    Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services 

Each organization in the HCC will lead specific functions to support access and awareness to the vaccine. 

•    Education: NAACP will share messaging about the vaccines through various channels. Church leaders are also planning to share information from the health department with parishioners. 
•    Transportation: SCHD partnered with the Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services to provide free transportation for residents of Saginaw to vaccination sites.
•    Vaccine Distribution Locations: Churches will be selected by the Saginaw African American Pastors organization to serve as vaccination sites.
•    Inclusive Outreach: Multilingual representatives will be available to share information over the phone with community members.

“The Saginaw County Health Department has taken the appropriate steps of working closely with and collaborating with other Saginaw County health institutions and community partners, as well as consulting with minority leaders and pastors,” Johnston said. “Together, these groups have provided excellent guidance on outlining a COVID-19 vaccination plan.” 

Last week, SCHD received 11,190 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The health department continues to work to administer vaccines as the state expands eligibility this month to adults ages 50 and older.

According to the SCHD vaccine update, the expansion adds another 40,000 people who are eligible to receive the vaccine in the county.

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