COVID-19 cases are rising around the state of Michigan with new data that shows nearly one in three residents getting tested for COVID-19 are discovered to have the virus, WXYZ reported.
The state’s positivity rate is now almost at 33-percent, according to WXYZ.
Testing sites have a long wait time (for several hours) at some and, predictably, emergency room visits are busy, too.
“This is really unprecedented to be honest with you,” Chief of Emergency Services at Dearborn Beaumont Dr. Zafar Shamoon said in the article. “I’ve been doing this for 18 years now and I’ve never seen anything like this”
The article added that the department of defense has crews on-site through the end of January, to assist with the surge which, presently doesn’t seem to be stopping.
“I’m confident this will pass, it’s just a matter of. We need the help of the public to do so,” Dr. Shamoon said.
Dr. Shamoon says people could take proper precautions by staying home when they feel unwell, get vaccinated, and wear masks while out.
“If we can do that, I think we’ll be OK and I think we can continue on with our daily activities, with caution,” he said in the article.
Michigan data demonstrates that those who are unvaccinated have 4.3 times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 and 12.2 times risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to people who are fully vaccinated, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
The MDHHS plans to also update its quarantine guidance for the general public to reflect the recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Notably, the CDC recommends a shortening of the quarantine and isolation duration for those who aren’t vaccinated or haven’t received their booster to five days followed by an additional five days of wearing a well-fitting mask around others. The updated guidance is specific to the general public and does not change the current guidance recommendations for congregate settings, early childcare or K-12 settings – these settings should continue to use existing guidelines and policies regarding quarantine and isolation. Guidance will continue to evolve as more information is learned from CDC, according to the MDHHS website.
“We have safe and effective tools for preventing the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “Getting vaccinated continues to be the best protection against severe illness and hospitalization, and we urge all Michiganders over age 5 to get vaccinated as soon as possible. These most recent updates to the quarantine and isolation guidelines are a reflection on our progress as we learn more about COVID – but we are not in the clear as variants like omicron continue to create new challenges in the fight to end this pandemic. Continue to wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth, test and social distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, avoid large gatherings and get vaccinated and boosted if you haven’t already.”
The specifics of the new COVID-19 isolation and quarantine guidance will be shared as further information becomes available from the CDC.
Last week MDHHS adopted updated CDC guidance on isolation and quarantine for healthcare workers. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.
Anyone with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested, even those who are fully vaccinated or have already had COVID-19. There are many locations to get tested at no cost. Call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136, press 2 for help finding a test site.
Read the full story here.
About Post Author
