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Coronavirus

MI COVID Alert hits nearly half a million downloads in first month

LANSING – A month after its statewide launch, the MI COVID Alert app has reached nearly 500,000 downloads. Today the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB) announced there have been 461,192 downloads of MI COVID Alert. The state also rolled out a second option for users to receive the PIN required to anonymously share a positive COVID-19 test result. “So much about fighting COVID is hard, but this is easy: Please download MI COVID Alert on your phone,” said Robert Gordon, director of MDHHS. “It ...

MDHHS asks Michiganders to “Mask Up, Mask Right”

LANSING – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is launching an initiative to not only get Michiganders to mask up, but to mask right. “The science is now settled: Masks protect others from COVID-19 – and they protect the wearer,” said Robert Gordon, MDHHS ...

National Guard supports vaccination efforts for Michigan

LANSING — The Michigan National Guard received a request from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to support community healthcare organizations with logistical and medical assets for COVID-19 vaccinations across the state. Guard leadership has analyzed its medical assets and logistical requirements and plans to augment health care providers across the state, where requested, in the administration of the vaccine. The Guard will first staff approximately 50 COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Teams, or CVTTs, that are comprised of a uniformed medical technician and one or ...

COVID-19 vaccine shipments begin in historic US effort

PORTAGE — The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday, as the nation’s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000. The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be approved by the ...

Budget toll from virus hits both Democratic, GOP-led states

No “blue state bailout” is a rallying cry for many congressional Republicans as attempts to provide more federal aid to a nation stricken by an ever-worsening coronavirus pandemic remain stuck in neutral. Yet it’s not just Democratic states asking for help amid plunging tax revenue, ...

State cites nine businesses for COVID-19 Workplace Safety violations

LANSING — To prioritize worker safety and health, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) inspected and issued COVID-19 “general duty” citations to nine different businesses with serious violations for failing to protect workers and take safety precautions. The MIOSHA “general duty” clause requires an employer to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to the employee. A general duty clause citation carries a fine of up to $7,000. On-site inspections conducted ...