Health Agency Announces Changes with the end of the Public Health Emergency

Tuesday May 16, 2023

The end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration will bring changes to the COVID-19 testing services and COVID-19 vaccination scheduling process offered by the agency effective May 30, 2023.

Branch Hillsdale St. Joseph Community Health Agency will discontinue in-person COVID-19 testing at the Coldwater and Hillsdale locations. Self-service kiosks which offer PCR lab and At-Home testing kits are still available at the Goodwill Plaza in Coldwater, Covered Bridge Healthcare in Centreville, our offices in Sturgis and Three Rivers. For additional testing resources visit https://testinglocator.cdc.gov/.

The scheduling of COVID-19 vaccination appointments online will no longer be available.  To schedule an appointment for any COVID-19 primary or booster dose, call your local agency office and speak to our clinic staff.

“The end of the Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration, the availability of At-Home testing kits, and the decline in the number of residents seeking in-person curbside testing has provided the opportunity to evaluate how we integrate COVID-19 activities into our core operations,” says Rebecca Burns, Health Officer. “The end of the PHE doesn’t mean COVID-19 is over. BHSJ CHA will continue providing and encouraging vaccinations, conduct disease monitoring, investigate outbreaks, share guidance and resources as needed.”

CDC, MDHHS and BHSJ CHA still recommends individuals isolate from others when sick and monitor for signs of illness if you had a known exposure. Individuals who experience COVID-19 symptoms should continue to take precautions and seek medical care and treatment as appropriate.

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is committed to promoting wellness, preventing disease, providing health care, and protecting the environment.