Michigan had at least 400 new cases of new coronaviruses for the eighth consecutive day on Tuesday, July 21, adding 573 new cases to bring the total number of confirmed cases to 74,725.
At a glance as to why the pandemic is causing an increase in tequila sales, plus six concerns that concern public health officials as they prepare for a second wave of COVID-19, here are the latest coronavirus events in Michigan .
Positive tests for COVID-19 creep to 4.2%
Every day from May 29 to July 12, less than 4% of the coronavirus tests conducted in Michigan tested positive. Since July 13, it has exceeded 4% three times.
It reached 4.2% on Tuesday, according to Michigan health statistics.
Nine new deaths were announced, but four occurred earlier in the week, identified by searching vital records. Michigan has lost 6,135 residents to the virus since the pandemic began.
Each county has had at least one confirmed case of COVID-19.
6 expert concerns if a second wave hits Michigan
MLive surveyed local and regional health departments spanning 35 counties to ask about any concerns leaders may have in case another wave of COVID-19 hits Michigan.
There were six main issues, including response time to test results, a more complicated network of contact tracing with the economy reopening, and the possibility of health department exhaustion.
Where are masks required, again?
Michigan’s mask mandate has new teeth, with companies threatened with license suspensions and customers threatened with $ 500 fines.
So where are masks required when people are in public? Not everywhere, actually.
The employee lies on COVID-19 to have the day off
Kind of like a school student playing the fire alarm to quit class, a waiter’s assistant at a northern Michigan restaurant had a friend call his employer posing as the employee’s father, saying he couldn’t going to work because I had COVID-19.
The restaurant closed for two days and had all employees evaluated before manufacturing was known.
California Takes High School Soccer Season to Winter
The Michigan High School Athletic Association plans to continue fall sports as usual, it announced last week, but not all states are following suit.
California schools are pushing the start of the high school soccer season to December or January due to the pandemic and will host their championships in April.
The 2020 mask debate has themes similar to a dispute from the 1980s
They infringe your freedom. They take away civil liberties. They are not failsafe in all circumstances, they are uncomfortable and did not burst onto the scene with much popularity.
The same arguments that were made against wearing a mask in 2020 were the arguments made in the 1980s, but with seat belts, current and former lawmakers point out.
While public opinion eventually turned in favor of seat belts, a majority opposed them in the early 1980s, according to a University of Michigan study. And part of the vitriol thrown at seatbelt supporters at the time is similar to today’s insults, with comparisons to the Nazis and Adolf Hitler.
Ann Arbor urges Michigan to return eviction moratorium
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer replaced her eviction freeze earlier this month with an eviction diversion program, but city authorities in Ann Arbor say that is not enough.
The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to urge Whitmer to reconsider, to avoid throwing thousands of Michiganers onto the sidewalk.
Tracking contacts is challenging as some are reluctant to answer the phone
One key to limiting the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan has been contact tracing, which is calling people with the virus to track symptoms and making sure they stay isolated, as well as calling any close contacts to ask them have them tested.
But nearly a third of respondents in a new U of M study said they feel uncomfortable participating in contact tracing.
Contact trackers in Michigan confirm the dilemma. Some people never call again, others hang up, and others refuse to share who they have been in contact with.
The big seller during quarantine? Alcoholic beverage.
While many retailers across the state have struggled during the pandemic, alcohol sales have increased.
According to retailers, more free time, a stimulus check, and a decrease in daily responsibilities are likely to contribute.
While alcohol sales are increasing across the board, there is a mysterious spike for a spirit: tequila.
Some retailers are concerned about what will happen once the $ 600 weekly increase in federal unemployment ends at the end of the month, such as Jeff Oppermann, the 25-year-old owner of Cork’n’Ale de Oppermann in Saginaw Township, where sales have increased around 40% in recent months.
“Because we really haven’t felt the impact of unemployment due to unemployment controls,” said Oppermann. “That said, the big part of our industry is that people drink when they are happy and they drink when they are sad.”
Walmart Won’t Open This Thanksgiving
The holidays are still five months away, but Walmart is already announcing some changes.
The store won’t open on Thanksgiving Day, deviating from what has become a Black Friday weekend tradition in recent years. Walmart wants to allow employees to take vacations to spend with the family amid the pandemic, according to Business Insider.
No changes were announced for Black Friday itself, guaranteeing new concerns in the COVID-19 era and social distancing.
COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS
In addition to washing their hands regularly and not touching their faces, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone can carry the virus.
Health officials say you should stay at least 6 feet away from others and work from home, if possible.
Use sanitizing wipes or sanitizing spray cleaners on frequently touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer when you go to places like stores.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also issued an executive order requiring people to cover their faces and noses while inside closed public spaces.
Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
