Ottawa County will use Holland Campus as site to give COVID-19 vaccinations to frontline workers

Grand Valley's Holland Campus will serve as the site where frontline workers will receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, through a partnership between the university and Ottawa County Department of Public Health.

Lisa Stefanovsky, OCDPH health officer, said the department received about 975 doses. Beginning Friday, December 18, the health department will primarily vaccinate EMS personnel and other individuals facilitating the vaccination and testing site locations, Stefanovsky said.

"The long-anticipated day of receiving the vaccine has finally arrived," she said. "We are grateful for the continued partnership with GVSU, which provided a facility to help our department administer the vaccine as quickly as possible."

President Philomena V. Mantella said the university has relied on the OCDPH since the beginning of the pandemic. 

"Guidance and expertise from officials there have been critical to helping us keep our community safe," Mantella said. "We are pleased to offer the Holland Campus as space to roll out vaccinations.”

Greg Sanial, vice president for Finance and Administration, said making the Holland Campus available for vaccinations was an easy decision because of the partnership between the two entities.

"This is another example of how well we work with the Health Department," said Sanial, who also serves as director of GVSU's Virus Action Team. "They needed space and thought the Holland Campus would be a good location; we came to an agreement in about 10 minutes."

Stefanovsky said other frontline health care workers, staff and residents of long-term care facilities will receive vaccination from area hospitals and pharmacies. As supplies of the vaccine increase, those at lower risk will qualify. Public health officials project all adults will be able to get vaccinated by mid to late 2021.