There is some confusion about whether the Coronavirus pandemic threat indeed is lessening or just getting ready to take off again in West Michigan.
Signs still point to positive developments. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday that restaurants now can seat as many as 50 percent capacity and restrictions at nursing and assisted living facilities are being relaxed.
Furthermore, the positivity rate for Allegan County now is down to 4.1% and only five deaths have been reported in the county over the past two weeks.
Allegan County still has 118 deaths reported since the pandemic began almost a year ago. The number of hospitalizations is 182 and 6,895 have been reported as recovered from the virus.
Perhaps the biggest and most recent problem is that some patients showing up at Wayland High School Saturdays are passing along their appointments to others not authorized.
Terri Maule of Hopkins, who volunteers at the vaccine clincs, warned on Facebook, “If you live in Allegan County and receive a link to schedule your vaccine from a friend or family member and not directly from the health department, do not use it to register or you and the person who shared it will have their appointments cancelled.
“This was a huge problem last Saturday at the Wayland clinic. We had so many ineligible people show up (and receive) vaccines that should have gone to eligible people. There wasn’t much we could do about it last week but they are looking for it now and hopefully it will only happen very minimally after this.
“Anyone can fill out the surveys at the health department, Meijer, etc. You just have to wait your turn for an appointment.”
Health Department officials said when a scheduling link is shared to people further down the list, it takes an appointment away from someone who has been waiting.
“Please do not share appointment links for Allegan County vaccine clinics.”
