Monthly Archives: April 2020

(April 25, 2020 12:01 PM) The Jackson County Health Department released the COVID-19 positive numbers for Jackson County.  As of 12 PM today, there are 319 positive cases (cumulative), and 16 deaths (cumulative)*. The Michigan Department of Corrections is reporting as of 9:30 PM Friday, April 24, there are 323 Confirmed Positive Cases at Jackson Facilities, 104 Confirmed Positive Jackson Staff. As of 6 PM on Friday, April 24, there are 41 individuals with positive COVID-19 results who are inpatients at Henry Ford Allegiance Health. To date, a total of 71 positive COVID-19 HFAH inpatients have been treated and discharged. *These numbers do not reflect any cases or deaths identified through Michigan Department of Corrections.  Their numbers are listed under a separate category “MDOC” for the Michigan Statistics. Gender Number Percent Male 147 46% Female 172 54% The age group will only be reported as a percentage of the total instead of the actual number.  Age - Years Percent 0 -19 3% 20 - 29 14% 30 - 39 13% 40 - 49 20% 50 - 59 18% 60 - 69 18% 70 -79 7% 80 7% Note: Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding Race % of overall case by race…

(April 25, 2020 11:47 AM) The Michigan Department of Corrections is reporting as of 9:30 PM Friday, there are 1,178 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases at facilities throughout the state.  Of that statewide total, 323 of the confirmed positive cases are at Jackson facilities. The number of positive COVID-19 cases at Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater increased by 249 since yesterday’s report.  The Department reports the number of prisoners tested increased from 525 to 971 since Thursday’s report.   66% of prisoners tested at Lakeland are confirmed positive. There have been a total of 30 deaths of prisoners who had tested positive for COVID-19, 10 of those deaths were among prisoners at Jackson facilities. The most recent deaths, reported on April 24, were of a prisoner at Lakeland Correctional Facility and a prisoner at Parnall Correctional Facility. On April 23, the department reported the deaths of a prisoner at Lakeland Correctional Facility, Parnall Correctional Facility and Woodland Center Correctional Facility. In Jackson, there are 170 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases at Parnall Correctional Facility, 28 at Charles E. Egeler Reception and Guidance Center, 24 at Duane Waters Health Center and 101 at G. Robert Cotton Correctional Facility. Among staff, there are a…

(April 25, 2020 9:39 AM) Consumers Energy has developed a COVID-19 Survival Toolkit for small businesses and non-profits.  The Toolkit is a set of Excel spreadsheets with checklists, cash flow budgets, tools to analyze unemployment compensation, Paycheck Protection Program impacts and more. Consumers Energy has partnered with the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the Enterprise Group of Jackson, the Jackson Anchor Initiative and the Nonprofit Network to develop the COVID-19 Survival Toolkit. The toolkit assists with navigation through the process of re-tooling business and moving forward – including helping small business connect with potential sources of relief under the federal CARES Act.  Elements of the toolkit include a check list of actions to take immediately, a cash flow budget template, a tool to evaluate unemployment for your employees, and calculators for federal incentives such as the Paycheck Protection Program and Employee Retention Credits. The Toolkit is available for download here.

(April 24, 2020 7:01 PM) Michigan’s second alternate care facility at Suburban Collection Showplace (SCS) in Novi opened today to provide care to COVID-19 patients. The alternate care facility will be ready to accept patients starting Friday, April 24. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District led the 250,000 square foot conversion of the Suburban Collection Showplace convention center into a medical facility in 15 days.  “There has been tremendous collaboration on our alternate care facilities in Michigan, helping to provide critical capacity for our hospitals during this global pandemic,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “The efforts involved by so many, including the USACE – Detroit Division, the Michigan National Guard and Ascension Michigan, to get a second medical facility operational in two weeks once again demonstrates the innovation and collaboration that is helping Michigan get the upper hand in the fight against COVID-19.”  The Suburban Collection Showplace Regional Care Center includes patient triage, physician, nursing and other patient support services, pharmacy, administrative space and a command center. The facility will accommodate 250-bed spaces for COVID-19 patients. Ascension Michigan and Saint Joseph Mercy Health System are providing management and leadership over operations of the facility with professional staff from a variety…

(April 24, 2020 5:38 PM)  Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a new Executive Order today, extending the restrictions in place through May 15, but adding exceptions.  The Governor said, “Over the past week, we have watched the number of new COVID-19 cases slowly decline. We aren’t out of the woods yet, and we’re watching closely to see if new hotspots develop. But it is time to start thinking about the future and how we can safely and gradually put Michiganders back to work.” THE NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER WILL ALLOW SOME WORKERS WHO PERFORM PREVIOUSLY SUSPENDED ACTIVITIES TO GO BACK ON THE JOB. THE ORDER WILL: Allow landscapers, lawn-service companies, greenhouses, and nurseries to return to work, subject to strict social distancing. Permit retailers that do not sell necessary supplies to reopen for curbside pick-up and for delivery. Lift the “closed areas” (e.g., garden centers) and advertising restrictions on large stores. Allow bike repair shops to reopen. THE ORDER WILL ALSO EASE UP ON SOME RESTRICTIONS ON MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. IT WILL, FOR EXAMPLE: • Allow motorized boating and golf, consistent with sound social distancing. No golf carts allowed. • It will permit individuals to travel between their residences, though such…