Ottawa County's COVID-19 Response Updates - November 25, 2020

Ottawa County, Michigan sent this bulletin at 11/25/2020 05:30 PM EST

Ottawa County Updates I November 25, 2020

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

Click to enlarge the dashboard view and to open other data sets.

Sources: Michigan Disease Surveillance System, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Census Bureau, 2018 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

Click to enlarge Positive Test Percentage by Week data. Use the scroll buttons at the bottom of the dashboard.

Ottawa County COVID-19 Data Highlights

COVID-19 case counts went up 241% since October 1 to date - 312 cases per day on average over the last 7 days.
Every demographic group (age, sex, ethnicity, race and geography) in the county are experiencing an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Hospitalizations are up 83% and deaths up 81% over the same period. Hospitals in Ottawa County report varying levels of strain due to COVID-19.
- 1 in 3 report operating in crisis capacity.
- 2 in 3 report offering care in usual capacity as of 11/23/20.
- 65% of hospital inpatient beds were in use,
  and 37% were used by COVID-19 cases.
- 58% of hospital ICU beds were in use,
  and 33% were used by COVID-19 cases.
Test positivity continues to be an important metric we are watching closely. With the recent surge in cases, overall test positivity increased steadily from 3% in early October to about 17% over the last week - an increase of more than five times from early October to late November.
Daily test counts are at about 2,200 tests per day over the last week. The sharp increase in positive test results is disproportionate to the increase in overall tests being conducted; indicating the virus is spreading even more throughout our community.

Cases have occurred among school-aged children and school staff. The recent MDHHS Epidemic Orders limiting in-person school were implemented to help reduce some transmission. About 75% of the schools in Ottawa County have transitioned to remote/online learning.
COVID-19 test results are delayed by an extra 2 days (on average) since early November, from about 2.2 days to about 4.4 days.
Case investigations and contact tracing are delayed because of the rise in cases causing system backlogs. Local health departments have been working with state partners to continue public health work. If you show symptoms or test positive for COVID-19, please begin self-isolation until public health reaches out and provides further guidance. Avoid gatherings--including Thanksgiving, stay away from others when sick, maintain at least six feet of distance from others, wear a mask and wash hands frequently. These are our best defenses we have right now.

Up to 33% of cases (4,223 cases) were reported just within the last 2 weeks.

Ottawa County Epidemiological Curve: Number of Cases per Day. Data pulled on November 25, 2020.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Ottawa County has had 46% of its known COVID-19 hospitalizations from October 1 through late November.

Ottawa County Epidemiological Curve: Number of New Hospitalizations by Admission Date. Data pulled on November 25, 2020.

Ottawa County now has had as many deaths among COVID-19 cases in the last month as it did in the first three months of the pandemic, which held the first wave of deaths.

Ottawa County Epidemiological Curve: Deaths by Date of Death. Data pulled on November 25, 2020.

If you test positive for COVID-19, please take personal responsibility and not wait for a public health official to contact you

Surges in the number of COVID-19 cases in our community have resulted in delays in completing case investigations. Follow-up by an investigator may take several days, and maybe a phone call or text survey. In the meantime, to best protect the health of others, these instructions must be followed by all COVID-19 cases.

If you receive a positive COVID-19 test result, isolate for a minimum of 10 days from the start of your symptom(s) or your positive test date if you didn’t have symptoms. If you are, or become, hospitalized during your isolation period, or have a pre-existing medical condition that compromises your immune system, you will need to be in isolation for a minimum of 20 days.

You may discontinue home isolation after 10 days only if your symptoms have improved, you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and you do not meet the criteria for a 20-day isolation period.

While you are in isolation, the Ottawa County Department of Public Health
may periodically contact you via phone or text message to assess your current health status.

Isolation is defined as separating and restricting the movement of people who have been diagnosed with a contagious disease from those who are well. This measure is used to protect your health and the health of others. If you need to leave isolation to get medical care, please notify the medical facility before your arrival that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19. If you have medical, or other types of emergency, please notify 911 and first responders that you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 so that they can take appropriate precautions.

If there are others in your household, they should self-quarantine at home immediately and continue for 14 days after you have completed isolation. If they develop even mild symptoms, they should consider getting tested for COVID-19.
Notify your close contacts that they may have been exposed and encourage them to get tested. If someone is awaiting test results, they must stay home until the results are in. A close contact is someone who has been within six feet (about two arms’ length) of an infected person for at least 15 minutes in 24 hours including brief encounters (it does not need to be consecutive minutes) with or without a face covering. Close contacts should quarantine—generally 14 days—since a person can be infectious before showing any symptoms.

Identifying positive cases and contact tracing are proven methods to help slow the spread of an epidemic of respiratory disease, like COVID-19. Contact tracing helps public health workers find people who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and may be infected with the virus. Some people infected with COVID-19 can infect others, even when they are not showing symptoms of the disease. People who have been exposed to COVID-19 need to monitor themselves for symptoms, get tested and keep from exposing their friends, coworkers and families.

Updated Ottawa County COVID-19 Website & Resources

Looking for local information and frequently asked questions?

Visit miOttawa.org/covid19

Additional links were also added to the Business Resources section.

Wishing you and your family a healthy, safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Click to learn more about how to have a safe holiday.

Click to enlarge image.

No-cost diagnostic testing is available for anyone with or without symptoms. Parental/ guardian consent is required for minors. No screening and no appointments are needed. Please bring a form of ID (e.g., state or country issued ID or paperwork with your name and address [bill, mail or paystub]). Please wear a face covering/mask.

Upcoming Testing Events
English I Spanish
See page 4

COVID-19 testing is an important tool in helping to understand the scope of community-wide spread and making data-informed decisions on how to best protect the people of Ottawa County. If you have COVID-like symptoms and/or have been in close contact with someone infected with the new coronavirus please get tested and self-quarantine. Contact your primary care provider for any medical needs.

*Now offering no-cost flu vaccine for uninsured adults (19 years of age and older)*

Getting Your Flu Shot is More Important Than Ever!

LEARN MORE I Find Flu Vaccines Near You

When will a vaccine be available to prevent COVID-19?

The Ottawa County Department of Public Health has been working with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, local health care providers and hospitals, along with regional partners to develop ethical and equitable vaccine distribution plans. More information is to come about the availability of approved, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

FAQs about COVID-19 vaccination I Additional Information

The age range of those diagnosed with MIS-C is 0-20 years, with a mean of 8 years of age.

MIS-C and COVID-19

CDC is investigating multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, a rare but serious complication associated with COVID-19.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. Children with MIS-C may have a fever and various symptoms, including abdominal (gut) pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, or feeling extra tired. We do not yet know what causes MIS-C. However, many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19, or had been around someone with COVID-19. LEARN MORE

Update: Arrival and Check-In Procedures for County Clinic Services

Ottawa County Department of Public Health is dedicated to supporting our community with quality public health care. Due to the severity of COVID-19, we find it necessary to make changes to ensure the safety of our clients and team. Even so, we want you to know that we are here and ready to support your health care needs.

We would like to share safety measures we are implementing to care for everyone who comes to our clinic:

Services are available by appointment only. For clinic health, call (616) 396-5266. Español: (616) 393-5780.

We are doing frequent and extensive cleaning, especially in high touch areas.

We complete a screening checklist for everyone at the entrance to our building.

We are requiring everyone to use hand sanitizer and wear masks, which are provided onsite.

Our team members are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.

We set up our waiting rooms differently and restructured our appointments to minimize wait times and limit contact between patients.

At busy moments, clients may be advised to wait outside until we can accommodate them safely in the waiting area.

Only clients should enter the office. The exception is minor patients, who may be accompanied by one adult. If you bring an additional child/children, please arrange for an adult to accompany them, and remain with them while they wait outside the building.

Our processes may look a little different, but our values remain the same --
Creativity, Communication, Culture, and Customer Service.

Please reach out to us if you would like to schedule an appointment or talk with someone about your needs. Learn more about how and where to receive care at miOttawa.org/miHealth.

- Clinical Health Team Supervisors

Limited Operations, Procedures and Closures

The Ottawa County offices are open by appointment ONLY. Click for details and instructions by office. To deliver documents or payments, a drop box is available outside the Fillmore Administration Building at 12220 Fillmore Street in West Olive. The box is located on the lower level of the building near the entrance of the Treasurer’s office. Visit the online service center to determine if your service can be fulfilled remotely. We are waiving convenience fees for online services at this time. For more information about the county's limited services, please visit miOttawa.org/closures.

Click to go to the MI Safe Start Map.

Click to go to michigan.gov/coronavirus. Data map is at the bottom of the page.

Stay safe. Protect each other.

MI COVID Alert is a free app for your mobile phone. It will help us to notify each other and slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan. Using the MI COVID Alert app along with the existing public health measures will help us all stay safe when we meet up, socialize, work or travel.

LEARN MORE & DOWNLOAD

My COVID Risk: Making Decisions About Visiting Public Places During the Pandemic Flyer

Since there is no way to ensure zero risk of infection, it is important to understand the potential risks when venturing out. Because it's not possible to provide the specific risk level for every activity in every community, it's important to consider how significant the risk to others and to yourself when deciding where and when to go out.

Download the My COVID Risk Flyer

Michigan’s older adults can connect virtually with family and friends
this holiday season

MDHHS partners with GetSetUp to help residents cope with COVID-19 separation

Older adults experiencing social isolation this Thanksgiving due to the COVID-19 pandemic have a new opportunity to celebrate the holiday virtually. Through its partnership with the national education technology company GetSetUp, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Aging & Adult Services Agency is offering a series of Thanksgiving-themed social hours this week. The special classes will help older adults connect with family and friends this holiday season. This includes a special Thanksgiving social hour on Thursday, Nov. 26 at 3 p.m. and Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipe Swap Friday, Nov. 27 at noon.

November 18 – Gatherings and Face Mask Order

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LEARN MORE I FACTSHEET I FAQs

Further protecting construction, manufacturing workers, MIOSHA enhances inspection efforts

While COVID-19 cases continue to climb across the state, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) will enhance its focus on workplace safety in the construction and manufacturing industries through two State Emphasis Programs (SEP) to ensure compliance with workplace safety rules helping to mitigate COVID-19 transmission. The SEPs will be in effect through Feb. 8, 2020 and will increase enforcement to help protect employees from COVID-19 hazards in the workplace.