Up-to-Date and Accurate Information on Coronavirus
Vaccinate West Michigan
To help make informed decisions, a consortium of West Michigan health departments, hospitals, healthcare providers, universities and others have launched www.VaccinateWestMI.com where area residents can find the latest information about the COVID-19 vaccine. The site includes information about vaccine availability, local distribution plans, safety and efficacy, and will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.
Ottawa Department of Public Health - Sign up for COVID-19 Vaccine Notifications
Use this link to sign up for notifications on when you can register for a vaccine appointment. NOTE: This is not to register for an appointment. Once you are notified that your phase is ready for vaccination you will be able to register for an appointment.
State of Michigan
Learn more about the vaccine testing, production, and distribution plan here. Find links to Frequently Asked Questions and the prioritization guidance as well.
Residents who don’t have access to the internet or who struggle to use a computer can also call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136, which is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
Find the CDC's COVID-19 VIS here. A VIS or Vaccine Information Statement is a document, produced by CDC, that informs vaccine recipients – or their parents or legal representatives – about the benefits and risks of a vaccine they are receiving.
Herd Immunity and COVID-19
Learn how herd immunity can be accomplished concerning COVID-19. This article also explains what herd immunity is and why it doesn't always work. Click here to get to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology's article.
World Health Organization Q&A on Vaccinations
"This Q&A addresses the common misconceptions about vaccination that are often cited by concerned parents as reasons to question the wisdom of having their children vaccinated." See the Q&A here.
MedlinePlus COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Keep checking back with the NLM’s Medlineplus resource as they will continue to update consumer-level info on COVID vaccines as it becomes available. There are also Medlineplus articles and tutorials on evaluating Internet health information.
Thank you to Tim Klunder and the Library of Michigan for wording some of these descriptions.
Internet Resources
Find low cost internet services and computers using this site. There are a variety of check boxes. Everyone who lives in the 49464 zip code and has at least one K-12 student in the home would qualify for a special internet offer, if they don’t already have access. If that student also qualifies for free/reduced cost lunch, there are four internet offers and multiple offers for getting low cost devices too.
Podcasts about COVID-19
School Library Journal has created a series of podcasts meant to help parents explain COVID-19 to children. Some of the podcasts are hosted by children who interview adults, others have children submitting their questions to the experts. Some of the podcasts are available in Spanish as well! The topics explored by these podcasts include:
- Coronavirus Questions
- Social Distancing
- Where do viruses come from?
- How do germs spread?
- Hygiene and Germs
Free Downloadable eBooks about COVID-19 for kids, tweens, and teens
For parents and caregivers who are looking for COVID-19 resources to explain the pandemic to their children, Magination Press called on some of its experts to write two free, downloadable books for children, tweens, and teens on the topic.
For parents and caregivers who are looking for COVID-19 resources to explain the pandemic to their children, Magination Press called on some of its experts to write two free, downloadable books for children, tweens, and teens on the topic.
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is providing information and guidance – developing numerous resources to assist local school districts, educators, and families. Education information and resources can be found at this link.
