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(April 14, 2021 3:05 PM) Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced today the state is working to expand the use of a medical intervention designed to significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19. This involves additional doses of monoclonal antibodies being made available to providers and requests to providers to expand the number of infusion sites in the state. “We are using every mitigation strategy, every medication, and every treatment option to fight the virus here in Michigan,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “These antibody treatments could keep you out of the hospital and save your life, and my administration and I will continue working with the federal government to make sure we are using all the tools in our toolbox to keep you and your family safe and get back to normal sooner.” Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are laboratory-produced molecules that can restore, enhance or mimic the immune system's attack on cells. mAb targets different parts of the virus and prevents it from bonding with cells in the body, effectively neutralizing it. Clinical trials have shown promising data that this therapy works for the treatment of COVID-19 in patients who are at high risk for progressing to severe symptoms and/or hospitalization, including older Michiganders. To date, preliminary data suggests more than 6,600 Michiganders have received this treatment with 65% reporting feeling better with two days of treatment and less than 5% of them requiring hospitalization following treatment. “When administered…

(April 14, 2021 12:00 PM) The Jackson County Health Department released the COVID-19 positive numbers for Jackson County.  As of 12:00 PM today, there are 12,669 positive cases (cumulative), and 237 deaths (cumulative)*.     There are 141 new cases since yesterday’s report.   Cumulative recovered, as of April 14: 9,543** As of April 8, there are 61 persons at Henry Ford Allegiance Health being treated as inpatients for COVID-19.   The cumulative numbers posted on Mondays include the data from Sunday and Monday.  Recovered numbers are being posted as received.  The Michigan Department of Corrections is reporting as of 4:10 PM April 2, there are 5,147 confirmed positive cases at Jackson facilities and 639 confirmed positive staff cases.  MDOC positive case numbers are cumulative. Note:  Jackson County will post COVID-19 data daily by mid-afternoon, Monday-Saturday, keeping with the schedule established by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The cumulative numbers posted on Monday will include the data from Sunday and Monday.  Recovered numbers are being posted as received.  Epicurve data and Township maps are also posted on Mondays by 3:30 PM. *These numbers do not reflect any cases or deaths identified through Michigan Department of Corrections.  Their…

(April 14, 2021  11:01 PM) Due to the State of Michigan’s lower unemployment rate, the U.S. Department of Labor notified the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency to confirm that our state’s Extended Benefits (EB) program will no longer be payable after the week ending April 17, 2021. Extended Benefits are available when Michigan’s total unemployment rate averages 6.5% or higher for three consecutive months. The EB program goes into effect when the unemployment rate is high and provides an additional 13-20 weeks of benefits for those who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits and other extension programs. “Fortunately, with the federal extensions that were implemented on March 27, claimants who were on the Extended Benefits program most likely will be able to receive benefits through other federal programs such as Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), said Liza Estlund Olson, acting director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency. Michigan has paid approximately $419M in Extended Benefits since high unemployment rates triggered the Extended Benefits program. The Agency has begun notifying the 16,000 claimants currently receiving Extended Benefits to ensure they are aware that the week ending April 17, 2021, is the last payable week for these benefits. If…