Hi there,
In many Oakland County schools, students, teachers and staff are beginning a well-deserved winter break. If you have traditional winter activities planned, I hope you find some good snow, or maybe you will be traveling to get some warmth! Either way don’t forget some healthy precautions:
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Wear sunscreen-even in snow. Sun safety is important all year, and in all outdoor locations. UV rays can also reach you on cloudy and cool days, and even reflect off surfaces like water, cement, sand, and snow.
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Keep heads safe during winter activities. Wear a helmet when sledding, skiing, snowboarding and even ice skating. Here is a good article on this topic from Michigan Medicine.
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Eat healthy, stay active. Try to stay on schedule with eating fruits, vegetables and healthier meals or snacks. Bring these options with you if you will be somewhere where healthy choices may be harder to make. Aim to be active for at least 2.5 hours a week and help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.
And while COVID cases are declining throughout the U.S., if you are traveling, consider some precautions. The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services recently released a Travel Safely During COVID guidance. It offers recent recommendations to decrease your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19 during travel, including testing for COVID-19 before and after travel. Many households may now have received the available free at home COVID tests kits they ordered. Testing for travel is a great way to use that resource. More information is below on how to use those kits!
In good health,
Leigh-Anne Stafford, Director, Health and Human Services
How to use an at-home COVID-19 test
Self-tests for COVID-19 give rapid results and can be taken anywhere, regardless of your vaccination status or whether you have symptoms. They detect current infection and are sometimes also called “home tests,” “at-home tests,” or “over-the-counter (OTC) tests.” They give results in a few minutes. Self-tests do not detect antibodies which would suggest a previous infection and they do not measure your level of immunity.
If your test is positive:
- The test detected the virus and if you have an infection.
- Stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home.
- Tell your close contacts.
- Wear a well-fitted mask when around others. If available, a N95 or KN95 respirator is recommended.
- Watch for symptoms. If you have any warning signs, seek emergency care immediately.
- Tell your healthcare provider. Contact them as soon as possible if:
If your test is negative:
- The test did not detect the virus, but doesn’t rule out an infection.
- Some self-tests are designed to be used in a series. Consider repeating the test 24 to 48 hours later. Multiple negative tests increase the confidence that you are not infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.
Order free tests at COVIDtests.gov. Buy tests online or in pharmacies and retail stores. Private health insurance may reimburse the cost of purchasing self-tests.
Pick up a KN95 mask at a site near you
Oakland County has partnered with municipalities and community organizations to distribute KN95 masks directly to cities, villages, and townships; community organizations; senior centers; churches, and other sites. These masks are now available as supplies last at locations in your communities. Find a distribution site here.
Free KN95 masks will be also be available directly to Oakland County residents at the following locations:
Be a hero-Catch up on missed vaccines!
Some vaccine-preventable diseases, like chickenpox, flu, and whooping cough, remain common in the United States. When vaccination rates fall even just a little, vaccine-preventable diseases can spread easily. Vaccination is the best protection!
COVID-19 disrupted some people staying up-to-date on vaccination schedules. Vaccinating on time can prevent series illness. If you, your child, or another family member has fallen behind on routine immunizations, talk to a healthcare provider or us at Oakland County as soon as possible to learn about catching-up.
Emergency housing assistance available
Two programs are available that may help you or someone you know if you need assistance with home-related costs resulting from hardships during the pandemic:
COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA): This program helps keep Michigan residents who fell behind on their rent and utilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in their homes. The following Oakland County agencies Community Housing Network, Lighthouse, and OLHSA work with rental tenants and landlords to provide rental, utility, and internet assistance for eligible households. Legal aid services for renters facing eviction may also be available. Click HERE for more information, eligibility, and how to apply.
Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund (MIHAF): Funds may be available to you for preventing homeowner mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosure, loss of utilities or home energy services and displacements of homeowners experiencing financial hardship. Click HERE for more information, eligibility, and how to apply.
Health Division COVID-19 vaccination sites & info
Check out our Get Vaccinated page for information about upcoming COVID vaccination sites and who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and booster. Appointments are strongly recommended and can be made online or by calling our Nurse on Call hotline at 1-800-848-5533 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.).
Visit the state’s COVID-19 vaccine dashboard and the Oakland County Vaccine Hub for updated vaccination data.
Oakgov.com/health is the best place to receive the latest information. Add, update, or opt out of Health Division email or text communications by clicking here.
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