Hi there,
A week ago, we celebrated Oakland County meeting the elusive goal of vaccinating 70% of residents 16 years or older. While we reached a significant milestone, our vaccination efforts are not over.
This milestone also means Oakland County’s $50 gift card incentive to reach 70 percent has come to an end. However, any resident who received their first dose of COVID vaccine between June 24 and July 23 is eligible to apply for a gift card. All requests must be submitted by Aug. 6th. Go to www.OaklandCountyVaccine.com to fill out the form our call 800-848-5533 for more assistance.
During August, we are turning our attention to immunizing school-age children and college students against COVID-19. We will offer vaccinations at community sites including local universities and colleges for on-campus vaccination clinics for students who return later this summer. To-date, only 57.1 percent of Oakland County residents between the ages of 16 and 29 have received their first dose.
If you missed Oakland County Executive David Coulter’s announcement about reaching the 70% goal, watch it here:
Today the state’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard reports 1,401,710 doses have been given to Oakland County residents. Visit the Oakland County Vaccine Hub for even more data related to vaccination.
In good health,
Leigh-Anne Stafford Director, Health and Human Services
Become fully vaccinated before attending summer festivals and events
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently reported an investigation of cases of COVID-19 associated with the Faster Horses Festival, held July 16-19.
The Faster Horses Festival is a three-day country music and camping festival at the Michigan International Speedway in Lenawee County. Dozens of cases of COVID-19 have been identified in this year's attendees, including individuals who were at the festival while they were infectious. If you attended the Faster Horses Festival, you may have been exposed to the virus.
Large gatherings often bring together many people from multiple households in crowded spaces. Several factors to consider that can contribute to the risk of attendees getting and spreading COVID-19 include:
- Number of COVID-19 cases- The event location or the locations the attendees are coming from is experiencing high or increasing cases.
- Length of the event—Attending longer poses more risk.
- Exposure during travel
- Setting of the event—Indoor events pose more risk than outdoor events.
- Number and crowding of people at the event– Events with more people increase the likelihood of being exposed even outdoors.
- Behavior of attendees during an event— Events where people interact with others from outside their own household, singing, shouting, frequent eating/drinking, not maintaining physical distancing, or not wearing masks consistently and correctly.
Get vaccinated well before attending large outdoor gatherings, such as music festivals, community concerts, “beer tents,” fairs, parades, etc. Getting vaccinated now can help protect you before popular Oakland County events like Arts, Beats and Eats, Renaissance Festival and more!
In general, people are considered fully vaccinated:
- 2 weeks after their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
- 2 weeks after a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine
If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.
CDC updates masking recommendations for fully vaccinated in high transmission areas
On July 27, CDC updated masking recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals. To maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors even if fully vaccinated in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
Currently, Oakland County is a level of moderate transmission. CDC will update transmission data weekly. If you are traveling, this interactive tool can be helpful to review the level of community transmission.
Wearing a mask is most important if you have a weakened immune system or if, because of your age or an underlying medical condition, you are at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated. If this applies to you or your household, you might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission in your area.
Week at a Glance-Health Division upcoming vaccination sites
The following locations will offer first dose COVID-19 vaccinations in July and August for individuals 12 years and older (unless otherwise indicated):
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Monday-Friday- 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m
- Oakland County North Oakland Health Center (Pontiac)
- Oakland County South Oakland Health Center (Southfield)
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Friday, July 30
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New Birth International Church/Church in the Park (Pontiac),
11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
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Saturday, July 31
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Hope Methodist Church (Southfield), 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
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Tuesday, Aug. 10
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Hazel Park Community Center, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
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Carnival Market (Pontiac), 12-3 p.m.
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Wednesday, Aug. 11
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Good Neighbor Event Emergency Management Warehouse (Pontiac), 4-6 p.m.
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Thursday, Aug. 19
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Best Western Premier Hotel (Southfield), 12-5:30 p.m.
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Friday, Aug. 20
- Berkley CruiseFest (Berkley), 4-6 p.m.
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Saturday, Aug. 28
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Believers Community Outreach Back to School Event (Pontiac),
2-6 p.m.
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Monday, Aug. 30
- Hazel Park Community Center, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
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Tuesday, Aug. 31
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Best Western Premier Hotel (Southfield), 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Carnival Market (Pontiac), 12-3 p.m.
For more details about these locations, click on our Get Vaccinated page. You can also call 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for more assistance. COVID-19 vaccinations are provided at no cost.
OaklandCountyVaccine.com is the best place to receive the latest information.
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