Friday, September 10 Update

Hi there,

September is here and most of our kids are back to school.  We are all happy to see Oakland County’s students returning to the classroom, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank students, staff, teachers, parents and caregivers for all the efforts you’re taking to ensure a safe and successful start to the 2021-2022 school year.

Recently, more studies have emerged about how COVID-19 affects kids and the role of community vaccination to protect them and prevent severe illness. Over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control released two new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) that address COVID-19 case rates in children and youth and how vaccination lowers severe illness in this population.  Please see below for highlights of this latest scientific information.

In Oakland County, we are still at a high level of transmission based on CDC’s level of community transmission tracker.  Our current 7-day average positivity rate is currently 6.9% (9/2/21-9/8/21).

On the vaccination front, 73.0% of our residents 16 years or older have received at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Visit the state’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard and the Oakland County Vaccine Hub for even more vaccination data.

In good health,

Leigh-Anne Stafford Director, Health and Human Services

New studies show vaccination protects kids from COVID-19

Although COVID-19 is generally milder in children and adolescents than in adults, severe illness can occur, requiring hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) support.

A new CDC study finds that the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations among people age 17 years and younger increased from June to August 2021, but the percentage of hospitalized kids and teens admitted to the ICU remained the same (1 in 5 children). Case rates were lower among children and adolescents in communities with high vaccination rates. COVID-19–related emergency room visits and hospital admissions in the states with the lowest vaccination rates were 3.4 and 3.7 times higher than in the states with the highest vaccination rates. Read more: bit.ly/MMWR9321.

Another new study shows hospitalization rates among unvaccinated adolescents (12-17 year old) was 10 times higher than among fully vaccinated adolescents. The report also found that hospitalization rates among children ages 0-4 increased 10 times from late June to mid-August. Learn more: bit.ly/MMWR9321b.

To protect kids and teens from COVID-19, all eligible people should get vaccinated as soon as they can and wear a mask in public indoor spaces (in areas of substantial or high transmission rates).  Want to get vaccinated? For Health Division vaccination locations, click on our Get Vaccinated page. 

FAQ-Where can I find available data to track COVID-19 related trends?

Vaccination data

• Michigan COVID-19 Vaccination Information Dashboard: Information can be sorted by county and includes vaccine coverage by county; vaccine distribution trends, etc.
  
  
• Oakland County Vaccination Dashboard: provides data about overall vaccination coverage and vaccine received by Oakland County Health Division.

COVID case/trend data

• CDC Level of Community Transmission: This interactive tool reviews the level of community transmission by counties in the U.S.
  
  
• CDC Pediatric COVID-19 Data Dashboard: Data and maps featuring trends in children age 0–17.
  
  
• Michigan COVID-19 Dashboard: COVID cases by county, cumulative
  state trends, hospitalizations, long-term care and school outbreak
  reporting and more.

• MI Safe Start Maps: Positivity rates, hospital capacity, case rates, etc.
  
  
• Oakland County COVID-19 Dashboard Summary: Oakland County
  specific daily cases, deaths, 7-day averages, etc.
  
  
• Oakland County Case Maps: Visual depiction of cases by county zip code and school district.

Health Division upcoming vaccination sites

These locations will offer COVID-19 vaccinations in September for individuals 12 years and older.

General vaccination sites

• Monday-Friday- 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday by appointment only
  
  from 5-7 p.m.
  
  
  • Oakland County Health Centers (Pontiac & Southfield)

• Friday, Sept. 10
  
  
• Rochester Community Schools Administration Building, 3- 6 p.m.
  
  
• Saturday, Sept. 11
  
  
  • Berkley Art Bash, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
    
    
• Tuesday, Sept. 14
  
  
• Welcome Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 8 a.m.-noon
  
  
•  Trinity Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 12-4 p.m
  
  
• Thursday, Sept. 16
  
  
• Oakland Community Health Network Recovery Celebration (Troy),
  
  10 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.
  
  
• Best Western Premier Hotel (Southfield), 12- 5:30 p.m.
  
  
• Friday, Sept. 17
  
  
• Rhama Worldwide (Beverly Hills), 6:30-8:00 p.m.
  
  
• Tuesday, Sept. 21
  
  
  • Welcome Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 8 a.m.-noon
    
    
  • Trinity Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 12-4 p.m.
    
    
• Tuesday, Sept. 28
  
  
  • Welcome Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 8 a.m.-noon
    
    
  • Trinity Missionary Baptist Church (Pontiac), 12-4 p.m.
    
    
• Wednesday, Sept. 29
  
  
  • Best Western Premier Hotel (Southfield), 9 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

For more details, click on our Get Vaccinated page.  You can also call 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for more  assistance. COVID-19 vaccinations are provided at no cost.

Our website, OaklandCountyVaccine.com is the best place to receive the latest information.