By David Fleet
Editor
With two COVID-19 vaccines OK’d for emergency use, politicians, health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities were first in line.
Among those rolling up their sleeves was Brandon Township resident Jonathan Schechter.
About a week after the Pfizer/BioNTech’s two-dose vaccine, which is about 95 percent effective against COVID-19 was released, Schechter received the first dose of two at a Waterford Walgreens. Currently, there are no walk-ins or appointments for the vaccine open to the public.

“It’s a start and a step in the right direction,” said Schechter, a licensed State of Michigan Paramedic for about three decades and an active member of the Wilderness Medical Society. “The vaccine is thawed out before being injected- -thus no feeling of being cold. But once thawed its shelf life is very short. It felt like getting any other shot. About 12 hours after the shot I had a slightly sore arm at the site of injection. I was 1A in the first group—highest priority- Health Care worker with direct contact with patients.”
Schechter is a continent ER Paramedic for McLaren -Clarkston and McLaren-Pontiac and assist in other McLaren locations where needed during the Covid-19 crisis including the Intensive Care Unit.
On Dec. 17, Oakland County Health Division health officials said the first 1,950 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer arrived
Initial vaccinations were by appointment only in Waterford for emergency medical service personnel, like Schechter who have indirect or direct exposure to patients and to help keep emergency response systems open and functioning in Oakland County, the county said in a news release.
“Our Health Division is ready to assist in the vaccination of Oakland County residents as we celebrate the remarkable science that got us to this turning point in defeating this dangerous pandemic,” said County Executive David Coulter. “Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all our residents and workers. We remain determined to follow science and public health, share information on the safety of the vaccine and keep our guard up against the virus.”
On Dec. 20 the Center for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices released recommendations on the prioritization of vaccine distribution after long-term care patients and frontline health care workers.
Phase 1b Group (49 million people). This group includes police, firefighters, teachers and school personnel; food and agriculture workers; manufacturing workers; corrections workers; U.S. Postal Service workers; public transit and grocery store workers. This group also includes 19 million seniors 75 years old or older.
Phase 1c Group (129 million people). This group includes the remaining seniors, 65-74 (28 million people), and other “essential workers” (20 million people) in Transportation and Logistics, Food Service, Shelter & Housing (including construction), Finance, IT & Communication, Energy, Media, Legal, Public Safety (Engineers), Water & Wastewater. This group also includes people between the ages of 16-64 with high-risk conditions (81 million people).