Ottawa County's COVID-19 Response Updates - Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Ottawa County, Michigan sent this bulletin at 05/06/2020 05:16 PM EDT

Ottawa County I Wednesday, May 6

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Media Contact: Kristina Wieghmink, OCDPH public information officer
kwieghmink@miottawa.org I mobile/text 616-510-8523

We are saddened to report a female in her 60s, a male in his 80s--both who had underlying health conditions--and a female in her 20s with no known underlying health conditions passed away since our last update. Our thoughts go out to their families and friends during this difficult time of mourning their loss.

Click on the dashboard to expand. Data Source: Michigan Disease Surveillance System.

Be sure to check out the various tabs in the new dashboard. You can view total case counts, which include laboratory-confirmed cases and probable cases, or view each case type individually. Probable cases are those who have not had a test but have symptoms and have been in contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19. Additionally, age, sex, race, ethnicity and location demographics are available. You can also view testing information by clicking on the tabs at the bottom of the dashboard. We hope you find the information useful as we continue surveillance and identifying cases to slow the spread of the virus in our community.

Prevention Measures are Still Relevant and Crucial

Your actions make a difference in slowing or increasing the spread of COVID-19.

As the weather gets warmer and people are venturing outside, along with businesses starting to phase into reopening and holiday celebration plans being developed, please keep in mind we are NOT in a position to relax the disease control measures our community has been working so hard on and contributing so much.

By keeping with physical distancing and wearing a face cover in public, along with frequent hand washing and disinfecting, we've been able to slow the spread in Ottawa County. Now is not the time to let up or loosen these actions. We understand many people are eager to open up all businesses and gather with friends and family members, but we must maintain the community mitigation strategies put in place to avoid a second wave or surge of COVID-19 in our community.

People who do not have COVID-19-like symptoms could still be carriers of the virus. Please protect others, especially those who are at a higher risk of severe complications from the disease; elderly, those with underlying health conditions, those who have limited access to resources and care, and many others as we're learning more about the disease.

Please do the following and encourage others to do the same:

Avoid close contact - Put distance between yourself and other people.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
Wash your hands often with soap and water and avoid touching your face.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

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English I Spanish I Guide for Large Families in Households I More Resources

#OttawaStaysHome

How are you staying occupied during Stay Home - Stay Safe? Why do you stay home? Use the hashtag OttawStaysHome to share and visit Facebook.com/OttawaCounty to view some of the community posts Ottawa County has shared.

Click to view and share the #OttawaStaysHome post.

Click for the state and local COVID-19 resource list

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Did you miss these?

Webinar: RESTAURANT RESTART

WATCH HERE

Virtual Meeting: OTTAWA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

WATCH HERE

RETURN TO WORK(PLACE): WEST COAST CHAMBER WEBINAR

Join us to hear from Paul Nemschoff, Vice President Global Strategy and Marketing at Haworth, as he shares best practices that help your business balance the needs of people and space in the workplace. An organization's greatest investment is its people—and an environment that protects employees also empowers them do their best work. Friday, May 8, 10:00 to 10:30 am. REGISTER HERE

State Provides Best Practice Guidelines to Help Protect
Workers as Construction Industry Reopens

Employers urged to take necessary precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19

As the construction industry reopens tomorrow, May 7, the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity highlighted requirements for employers and provided further guidance on best practices to help protect Michigan workers and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“We must take aggressive action to reduce COVID-19 exposure in order to prevent a second spike in cases,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. “The only way we can safely reopen businesses, including our job providers in the construction industry, is to be smart about protecting our workforce. We’re ensuring employers understand how to protect their employees and customers, and we continue to save lives.”

The governor’s Executive Order 2020-70, allows the May 7 resumption of some types of work that present a very low risk of infection, including construction. LEO, in collaboration with leaders and experts from industry, and state and local public health, has developed best practice guidelines that help construction industry employers understand the requirements under the order. The best practice guidelines can be found on LEO’s website.

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MDHHS receives $25 million from CARES Act

Funds will help aging residents during COVID-19 pandemic

Michigan will help its aging adults stay healthy and live independently with nearly $25.3 million received from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Among other things, the CARES Act provides supplemental funding for programs authorized by the Older Americans Act of 1965. Michigan will spend its money supporting residents aged 60 and over served by Older Americans Act programs. These programs provide a wide range of services, such as help with bathing and dressing, rides to doctors’ offices, education on managing chronic illnesses, support for family caregivers, and much more.

Provided by a network of community-based organizations – such as Area Agencies on Aging, local community and senior centers, faith-based organizations, Commissions and Councils on Aging, and other nonprofit service providers – these programs help millions of older adults stay healthy and continue living independently.

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MDARD Advises Businesses, Consumers on the
Sale and Use of Disinfectants

Selling, distributing unregistered disinfectants poses public safety risk

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is reminding businesses and consumers how to buy and use disinfectants safely, effectively and legally. Disinfecting is an important step in preventing and reducing the spread of viruses, bacteria, and other microbes, including SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Disinfectants are considered pesticides by law and are regulated by MDARD and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has compiled a list of products that can be used against COVID-19. The list is periodically updated with new information.

“It is illegal to make, sell, or give away an unregistered disinfectant and doing so puts the public’s health at risk,” said Mike Philip, Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division Director. “Making your own disinfectant by repackaging a product, or creating your own recipe and selling it, or giving it away is both dangerous and a violation of state and federal law. It also puts public health at risk when the law isn’t followed. In the case of pesticides and disinfectants, the label is the law.”

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Governor Whitmer Statement on Pfizer’s Clinical Trial for COVID-19 Vaccine

Initial manufacturing for the vaccine to take place in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement after Pfizer Inc. announced that the first participants have been dosed in the U.S. in a clinical trial for the BNT162 vaccine program to prevent COVID-19 infection. The company also announced that initial manufacturing for the COVID-19 vaccine will be conducted in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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AG Nessel Confirms Executive Orders Enforceable

Attorney General Sends Guidance to Local Authorities

The Michigan Legislature’s failure to pass an extension of the state of emergency and disaster declared by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer caused confusion and frustration among law enforcement officials throughout the state. 

Many of those law enforcement officials – along with members of the public – contacted the Department of Attorney General asking whether the Governor’s Stay Home, Stay Safe Order (2020-70) and places of public accommodation order (2020-69) are still enforceable. 

After reviewing the issue, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a letter of guidance today to local law enforcement officials across the state. In her letter, Nessel finds the two orders to be valid under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act and asks local law enforcement agencies to continue their enforcement efforts.

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AG Nessel Warns of Websites Selling Coronavirus-related Products that Never Arrive

Attorney General Dana Nessel issued an urgent consumer alert today to notify Michiganders of another online retailer that is taking advantage of consumers looking to buy products like hand sanitizer and face masks during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Nessel’s office recently received a complaint from a concerned Michigan consumer about a website called OkHomeOnline selling face masks, alcohol-based cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and other products in high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The consumer reported being charged for a purchase, but never received the order. Later attempts to check the order status were unsuccessful when the website could no longer be accessed.

The Attorney General’s office found that multiple complaints were available online with consumers going through the exact same situation as the Michigan resident. They placed the order only to find that the website disappeared. Furthermore, the phone numbers and addresses listed for the “company” appear to be stolen from other businesses that do not make or sell coronavirus-related products.

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