McLaren Greater Lansing Begins Administrating COVID-19 Vaccine to Health Care Workers

LANSING, Mich. – McLaren Greater Lansing began the process of immunizing its health care workers against COVID-19 at the hospital today.

“Our health care heroes have been courageously battling each wave of this virus for nearly a year,” said Dr. Linda Peterson, McLaren Greater Lansing Chief Medical Officer. “Now it is time we take the final fight to COVID-19.” 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, which began being distributed to hospitals over the weekend. McLaren Greater Lansing received 975 initial doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and is expecting to receive additional quantities over the next few weeks, including from other vaccine producers.

“I’m honored to be receiving the vaccine,” said Dawn Chapel, RN in the ICU at McLaren Greater Lansing. “I’m extremely hopeful for the future and very excited. This feels like a light coming from the darkness.”

McLaren Health Care hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other subsidiaries surveyed their team members, medical staffs, and contract workers’ interest in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. 

McLaren then used that data and information from the vaccine producers to create a plan to immunize its health care workers. It is expected to take several weeks to immunize the health care workers affiliated with McLaren who indicated they want the vaccine due to the logistics of administering the shot, minimizing the number of caregivers who may experience side effects at one time, and the availability of doses from the pharmaceutical manufacturers. McLaren Health Care and Walgreens have also launched an innovative partnership where certain McLaren team members authorized to receive the vaccine in the initial distribution will be able to receive their vaccination at a nearby Walgreens store. The collaboration will expedite the immunization of McLaren team members and enhance safety by minimizing the number of team members required to go inside the hospital to receive their vaccinations. 

“Walgreens is very proud to collaborate with McLaren on this historic milestone to begin administering Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to the true heroes who are on the frontlines of battling 
COVID-19. This is an incredibly important step in an unprecedented effort to allow our nation to emerge from this pandemic,” said John Standley, president, Walgreens.  

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