Jackson County Health Department Weekly Report for June 11, 2021

(June 11, 2021 11:24 AM) The Jackson County Health Department has released its weekly report and it is published here:

As the State of Michigan continues with the re-opening process, resources are being made available to help local businesses with their economic recovery. The Michigan COVID-19 Safety Grant Program will provide small businesses, including eligible childcare centers, matching funds of up to $10,000 to decrease the risk of COVID-19 spread through safety and health-related equipment purchased and training. The deadline for application is Friday, June 18, 2021. Questions regarding this grant opportunity should be directed to 517-284-7811 or LEO-CETGrants@Michigan.gov.

In addition, the Michigan Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) launched a new ‘Back to Work’ online resource,Michigan.gov/BackToWork to highlight programs and services that help businesses and their current workforce needs. This resource will provide a central location for programs and services aimed at helping employers fill job openings; provide safe, healthy work environments for workers; and address other business-related needs.

With all of these exciting reopening activities going on and masks coming off for fully vaccinated individuals (2 shots-Moderna/Pfizer, 1 shot-J&J), remember that the COVID-19 virus is still circulating throughout the community. Mask wearing is still mandatory for those who are not vaccinated as well as for everyone in some locations, such as healthcare facilities and public transit, such as terminals, planes, buses and trains.

The vaccine remains our best defense against the COVID-19 virus. The Michigan Covid Tracker is monitoring progress on vaccinations in the State of Michigan. The tracker monitors 1^st dose (one shot) provided to the 16+ age group as we work toward our state goal of 70% immunization rate for COVID-19. The National Tracker system provides similar data, but tracks it down to 12 years of age. In Michigan, we are currently at 60% as of 6/9/2021 and at the national level we are at 63.9% with at least one shot.

Vaccine Opportunities

There are many vaccine opportunities in the Jackson County area and location information can be found on the VaccineFinder webpage. Minors aged 12–17 are eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine with parent permission. For a complete list of vaccine opportunities for Jackson residents, please visit or call one of the following:

JCHD sponsored clinics – www.mijackson.org/hd or Call (517) 788-4420, opt 9;
JCHD Facebook page;
HFAH – www.henryford.com/covidvaccine
Center for Family Health – Call 517-748-5363;
Pharmacies and other sites – www.Vaccinefinder.org

Homebound individuals who are interested in a COVID-19 vaccine, please contact Disability Connections at (517) 998-3084, Region 2 Area on Aging at (517) 592-1976 or the Jackson County Department on Aging at (517) 788-4364.

Jackson County Health Department Updates

The Jackson County Health Department doors are now open for business. All individuals are asked to wear a mask if they are not completely vaccinated. If you still need your COVID-19 vaccine, you can come to the immunization clinic and get your vaccine of choice!

Most clinics / services require an appointment. If you need a service at the health department, please call the specific department ahead of time to find out if an appointment is needed. Check the Health Department Programs and Services page for information on how to reach the program or service you seek, or call (517) 788-4420 and listen for the program options.

The Jackson County Health Department is excited to announce that the “Get REAL” program will be returning this summer and we are looking for participants to join us. If you have a son or daughter between the ages of 10-15, we would love for you to get them signed up! This program is unique and offers many things such as mentorship, activities, service learning, activities, fieldtrips and more! For more information or questions please contact Nacoya at 517-768-1637 or via email at: nweatherspoon@mijackson.org

The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative (TPPI) will begin the Teen Outreach Program (TOP) at Chalet Terrance on Tuesday, June 15^th and at the Martin Luther King Center on Monday, June 21^st. The program, whose effectiveness has been proven in 30 years of operation, is for youth ages 12-19 and it is focused on reducing rates of teenage pregnancy, school failure, and school suspension. The program consists of supervised community service, classroom based discussion, and activities related to key social developmental tasks of adolescence. If you have youth who may be interested in joining a club at either site please contact TPPI Coordinator, Abby Davis at 517-257-3727 or at tppijackson517@gmail.com.

Data

Jackson County Health Department reports the following data as of June 10, 2021. This information is also available on the Michigan Vaccine Dashboard which is updated daily (M-F) by 3:00 p.m. Data now reflects the addition of the 12-15 year olds.

COVID case numbers in Jackson County compared to the State of Michigan:

*Data as of June 7, 2021

**Recovered = alive 30 days after onset date (if onset date is missing, then referral date). This calculation is using the Patient Status variable to distinguish alive vs deceased.

The COVID-19 variants continue to circulate in our community. There is evidence that the B.1.1.7 is still the most prevalent COVID-19 strain spreading in Michigan.

Additional Resources

Jackson County Health Department Webpage

State of Michigan Vaccination and Prioritization Strategy

https://www.mistartmap.info/about

Centers for Disease Control Vaccine Information Page

JCHD COVID Information phone line – (517) 817-4469