Mayor Duggan and city officials discuss the increase in COVID-19 cases during an August press conference.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has seen its fair share of highs and lows — and this November, a major spike is already underway in Detroit and the state.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and other city and health officials spoke during a recent press conference about how to combat the Delta variant-related surge, provided vaccine updates, and handling the fourth surge during the holidays.
Duggan also discussed the importance of frequent testing to prevent community spread.
“We got good news out of the CDC and the FDA on Friday … that the third shots have now been approved for everybody 18 and up that has been vaccinated now for six months,” Duggan said, adding that Detroit is now rolling out boosters to every Detroiter at every vaccination site in time for an uptick in fall-related illnesses. “We know COVID circulates far faster with indoor ventilation than it does outdoor … this is our prime flu season.”
Duggan said that Michigan is now the “center of the spread” of COVID-19.
“It’s not a surprise — this is our prime flue season,” he said, adding that everyone in the medical field predicted that this would happen in November, December, and January.
“Statewide this is the highest rate of infection we have had today,” he said, adding that the Delta variant continues to spread rapidly and the COVID-19 case rate for Michigan now exceeds last year. “In the city of Detroit (we are) not quite to our peak but I would suspect in a week or two Detroit will succeed that as well.”
Duggan added that on top of all of the rising COVID-19 cases, something “most deeply troubling” includes a spike in Detroiters hospitalized due to COVID-19.
“Just in the last two or three weeks we have doubled the number of Detroiters in hospital beds to 256,” he said of COVID-19 hospitalizations, adding that there are no signs of slowing. “If it doubles again in the next three weeks we’re going to see the most serious problem we had since the spring of 2020. This is something we have got to address today.”
Duggan encouraged Detroiters to step up and receive their COVID-19 vaccine if they have not already; for those eligible for the booster shot (for individuals 18 and older six months from their last shot) they should.
“It’s something we’ve been pushing for a long time and for those of you who want to protect yourselves … and want to stay protected you have an absolute right to go in and get your third shot,” Duggan said.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, vice president, and chief health equity officer, CVS Health, agrees. She said in a previous statement that she is “very concerned” about COVID-19 cases increasing nationally, including here in Michigan.
“Our hospitals are becoming full again and people are unnecessarily dying from this disease,” she said, echoing Duggan’s thoughts. “I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated, or boosted, as soon as possible, and for all of us to wear a mask indoors. Everyone also needs to get the flu vaccine as soon as possible.
The City of Detroit began providing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 in early November.
Dosing for children ages 5-11 will be one-third that of adults (10 micrograms vs. 30 micrograms), delivered in a two-dose series three weeks apart.
The Detroit Health Department is partnering with DPSCD, private and charter schools to provide future school-based vaccine events.
Walk-ins are welcome.
For more information or to schedule an appointment: Call 313.230.0505 Monday -Friday 9 am to 6 pm.
Watch the full video here.
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