COVID mutation will not increase transmissibility, affect vaccine efficacy
November 25th, 20201 LONDON — A peer-reviewed scientific study published on Wednesday says known mutations of the SARS-CoV-2, or coronavirus, do not increase virus transmissibility. Researchers also say the mutations do not pose a threat to vaccine efficacy. Viruses mutate, or change, constantly and some, like the flu, mutate more than others. The...
U.S. officials plan to release 6.4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in first distribution
November 24th, 20200 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. officials said on Tuesday they plan to release 6.4 million COVID-19 vaccine doses nationwide in an initial distribution after the first one is cleared by regulators for emergency use. Officials from the government’s Operation Warp Speed program told reporters that states and other jurisdictions had been...
First Americans could get COVID-19 vaccine by mid-December, top health official says
November 22nd, 20200 The first Americans could receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as 24 hours after the FDA grants approval, which would kick off the largest inoculation campaign in U.S. history starting in mid-December. “Within 24 hours from the approval, the vaccine will be moving and located in the areas where each state will have told us where they...
Local hospitals brace for second wave as COVID-19 cases rise
November 22nd, 20200 DEARBORN — With COVID-19 cases seeing record high numbers over the last couple of weeks, local hospitals are bracing for the second wave. The state of Michigan is tracking bed capacity and available personal protection equipment (PPE) on its website and updates the information daily. Statewide, bed occupancy among all hospitals...
Beaumont Taylor announces visitor limitations
November 19th, 20200 TAYLOR — Beaumont Hospital in Taylor has announced visitor restrictions amid the rising cases of COVID-19. The Taylor facility is joining the Grosse Pointe, Royal Oak, Dearborn, Trenton, Farmington Hills and Troy locations in their decision to limit visitors. “We’ve had a notable rise in COVID-19 cases in Metro Detroit,”...
Local school leaders respond to new MDHHS orders
November 18th, 20200 With the new Michigan Department of Health and Human Services order calling for high schools to suspend in-person learning, local school districts have been forced to make tough decisions for their districts. The Dearborn Heights District 7 School District had been the only district among Dearborn/Dearborn Heights that had allowed for...
City of Dearborn announces office closures, revised hours amid COVID-19 pandemic
November 18th, 20200 DEARBORN — While Dearborn Police are set to enforce the mask mandate and other social gathering limitations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, the city has announced limitations at its city buildings. While the city clerk’s office at the Dearborn Administrative Center (DAC) will be closed to the public until...
FDA allows first rapid test at home; Pfizer to seek clearance for emergency use of vaccines
November 18th, 20200 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just as the FDA allowed an emergency use rapid at home COVID test, Pfizer announced that it was just days away from requesting emergency use of a vaccine. The announcement from the Food and Drug Administration to allow for rapid COVID testing at home will require a prescription and can be utilized on an emergency...
Attorney General Nessel joins coalition pushing for scientific, medical research funding during COVID-19 pandemic
November 17th, 20200 LANSING — Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general urging scientific, medical research funding. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its National Institutes of Health (NIH), the attorneys general urge them to reject recent recommendations made by the Trump...
Police, other agencies, will enforce new COVID orders if needed
November 16th, 20200 DEARBORN — Michigan will begin its three-week “pause” on Wednesday, targeting in particular indoor gatherings around holidays and indoor dining and bar services to mitigate the sate's intense COVID-19 crisis. This statewide restrictions on certain activities was issued by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services...
We can stop COVID-19: Moderna vaccine success gives world more hope
November 16th, 20200 Moderna Inc’s experimental vaccine is 94.5 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 based on interim data from a late-stage trial, the company said on Monday, becoming the second U.S. drugmaker to report results that far exceed expectations. Together with Pfizer Inc’s vaccine, which is also more than 90 percent effective, and...
Schools returning to virtual learning amid spike in COVID-19 cases
November 13th, 20200 LANSING — With COVID cases reaching record daily highs, many schools are experiencing outbreaks and returning to virtual learning as a result. An outbreak is defined by the state as “two or more cases with a link by place and time indicating a shared exposure outside of a household.” The Michigan Department of Health and...
As COVID-19 cases rise, Gov. Whitmer addresses common mistakes people make, while hospital leaders assess the situation
November 13th, 20200 LANSING — Governor Whitmer held a press conference to address the state’s rising COVID-19 cases as the state is reaching record numbers of new cases daily. “We are in the worst part of this pandemic to date,” she said. “This is the moment medical experts have been warning about and dreading since the beginning of the...U.S. government partners with pharmacy chains to increase COVID-19 vaccine access
November 12th, 20200 The U.S. government is partnering with regional pharmacy chains and independent community pharmacies to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines whenever they are made available, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Thursday. The partnership will cover about 60 percent of pharmacies throughout the 50 U.S. states,...
Beaumont Health seeking participants for COVID vaccine study
November 12th, 20200 ROYAL OAK — Researchers at Beaumont Hospital are now enrolling patients in a national study of a possible COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine, known as AZD1222, is being tested to determine its safety and effectiveness. Beaumont Department of Medicine Chair Dr. Christopher Carpenter said that Beaumont cared for the most patients......
MDHHS rolls out COVID-19 exposure alert app statewide
November 9th, 20200 LANSING — In an attempt to slow the increasing spread of COVID-19, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) have rolled out a COVID exposure app. The MI COVID Alert app is an anonymous, free and voluntary app originally piloted on Michigan State...Dearborn Schools pause learning labs amid increase in COVID numbers
November 4th, 20200 DEARBORN — With COVID-19 cases increasing across the state at an alarming rate, Dearborn Public Schools have decided to suspend remaining in-person learning labs as of Monday, Nov. 9. The decision was made after the district received its weekly report from the Wayne County Health Department, which showed positivity rates climbing...
MDHHS reduces max gathering for indoor weddings, parties to 50 people
October 29th, 20200 LANSING — Due to rising COVID-19 cases in the state, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Resources (MDHHS) has revised and extended its epidemic order. Now, the agency has reduced the maximum size of indoor gatherings such as weddings, parties and banquets, which occur in nonresidential settings without fixed seating, from...
Dearborn Public Schools approve reopening plan
October 27th, 20200 DEARBORN — After another school board meeting lasting longer than six hours, the Dearborn Board of education approved a reopening plan for the school district. Late Monday night the board authorized administrators to start a blended learning program for elementary students once COVID conditions in the community improve, which may......
Whitmer signs bills worker, business COVID-related bills, as state sees cases increase
October 22nd, 20200 LANSING — Governor Whitmer signed two bills on Thursday that protect workers from retaliation from businesses if they get sick from or are exposed to COVID-19, and protects businesses from COVID-19 related liability. A trio of Michigan House bills (House Bills 6030-6032) say employers are required to allow workers who are exposed...
MDHHS issues emergency order to allow indoor visitation at residential care facilities
October 22nd, 20200 LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has issued an emergency order that updates requirements for residential care facilities to allow for indoor visitation. Emergency order under MCL 3332253 expands and updates such requirements as a means of protecting the public and containing the spread of......
Governor Whitmer extends unemployment benefits for the rest of the year
October 21st, 20200 LANSING — Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bills 886 and 991, which expand unemployment benefits for all Michiganders. The bipartisan bills Whitmer signed will extend unemployment benefits for Michiganders who have lost work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic from 20 to 26 weeks until the end of the year. Both bills were sponsored...
Dearborn Public Schools suspend in-school learning labs
October 21st, 20200 DEARBORN — With COVID-19 cases rising again, the Dearborn Public School District’s Learning Lab Committee has decided to suspend in-school learning labs indefinitely. School nurses and administrators met Tuesday and decided to suspend the labs effective Oct. 21 until further notice after receiving concerning news from the Wayne......
