Saginaw Co. Case Data for December 22

​

Positive since 10/1: 8,735
Total positive: 11,573

​

Deaths since 10/1: 221
Total deaths: 357

​

Positivity rate 10/1: 3.5%
Positivity rate now: 14%

​

County hospital capacity
(week of Dec. 14): 94% full

COVID-19 related: 40% 
ICUs: 96% full
COVID-19 in ICU: 55%

​

Health Department Vaccinates CMU Medical Students

​

Twenty CMU College of Medicine students received a first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from the health department yesterday, with 50 more expected to receive it today. During the coming weeks, approximately 200 students will receive the vaccine through us. 

CMU students work on the front lines of care in our community - in our emergency departments, labor/delivery, and inpatient medicine floors. Many will stay in the region and become the physicians.

“We are deeply grateful to nurses, staff, providers and administration of the Saginaw County Health Department,” says Steve Vance, Associate Dean of Clinical Education for CMU (pictured on left). “Our students represent the emerging healthcare workforce. Protecting them with this vaccine allows them to both provide care for patients today and gain the experience necessary to lead the response to future pandemics.”

We value our partnerships with CMU and are honored to provide this service!

​

Vaccine Distribution and Administration Update

​

Together with our healthcare partners, we have been working collaboratively on COVID-19 vaccination planning for weeks, and we continue to connect frequently to discuss and implement receipt, storage, handling, and administration.

By the end of the day today, Saginaw County providers will have administered over 2,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, or nearly 70% of the initial 3,000 dose allotment, to Phase 1A – Priority One personnel. 

The Moderna vaccine is currently being shipped to locations that did not get Pfizer doses last week. We will eventually get the Moderna vaccine here at the health department as well, but not this initial shipment. The state has earmarked it for communities and facilities without ultra-cold freezer storage. 

So, as more partners receive the Moderna vaccine this week, our community is making great strides in vaccinating our Phase 1A – Priority One healthcare workers.  

Within the next two weeks, we will likely begin Priority Two and some Priority Three groups. Our hospitals will move seamlessly from Phase 1A – Priority One right to Priority Two (long-term care) and then Priority Three (outpatient care areas) as they will be vaccinating those within their health care systems. 

​

A majority of the health department's first shipment has gone to EMS providers and medical first responders for Phase 1A – Priority One. We have also vaccinated health department staff and CMU medical students (see above).  We will also be providing vaccines for a few long-term care facilities that are not enrolled in pharmacy distribution for Priority Two. After that, we will move to Priority Three, for which we are in the process of rolling out a business enrollment form. This will allow those in Phase 1A – Priority Three, such as independent dentists, gastroenterologists, and other outpatient clinics, to enroll their offices and employees to be vaccinated. 
 
We will be doing the same for the next Phase 1B – critical infrastructure. Saginaw County, for example, will enroll in this program, and we will help identify county employees who fit the updated critical infrastructure criteria. From there we will establish one main point of contact for each business to arrange for vaccination through employer-based clinics. We will use our nursing staff to provide vaccinations for businesses and entities that don't have their own occupational health services. 
 
Based on Facebook comments and calls to the health department, we know everyone is anxious to know exactly when they will have the opportunity to get vaccinated. Ultimately, timing on movement through these phases relies on manpower to administer the vaccine and doses received. Please know that careful consideration is going into the allocation of this scarce medical resource. We appreciate your patience and remain committed to updating you often.
 
Finally, for those interested in tracking COVID-19 vaccine doses shipped and administered in Saginaw County and around the state, visit the state's vaccine dashboard.  

​

Facebook Live Tomorrow

​

Fresh from our experience of getting our COVID-19 vaccines live on Facebook last Friday, we will be sharing how it felt, if we had any side effects, and how the v-safe app works on tomorrow’s regularly scheduled FB Live event at 10am.
 
In addition to our normal COVID-19 update – including a look at the three metrics the state is using to impose or relax restrictions – we will talk about the new variant of COVID-19 coming out of the UK. We will also clarify some of the new epidemic order changes for our state and reiterate holiday recommendations.
 
If we don’t see you online, please have safe and peaceful holidays. And as always...wash your hands, wear your masks, watch your distance, and limit indoor gatherings. Be safe, Saginaw!
 

County Data

​

Yesterday we began updating our county-wide data directly on our website using Microsoft BI for added functionality. To see today's data, click here. 

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

Saginaw Co. Case Data for December 14

​

Positive since 10/1: 7,828
Total positive: 10,666

​

Deaths since 10/1: 172
Total deaths: 308

​

Positivity rate 10/1: 3.5%
Positivity rate now: 16.5%

​

County hospital capacity (week of Dec. 7): 96.25% full

COVID-19 related: 45.51% 
ICUs: 92.78% full
COVID-19 in ICU: 50.52%

​

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

​

Our Saginaw County COVID-19 Vaccine Planning Committee met this morning to once again work through the logistics of our county's first shipments, which we anticipate tomorrow or Wednesday. We are working collaboratively as a community to support distribution and administration to those receiving the vaccine first. Based on recommendations from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), MDHHS has prioritized initial vaccine allocation to:

​

• Ensuring the continued functioning of the health care system and essential services in the community

• Protecting people at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness

 

Our county will be receive almost 3,000 doses, which will go to Phase 1A Priority One:

​

• Group A: EMS providers, including medical first responders

• Group B: Hospital workers on general medical floors

• Group C: Emergency departments

• Group D: Intensive care units

 

Subsequent shipments will be prioritized for Phase 1A Priority Two:

​

• Group A: Staff at skilled nursing facilities, psychiatric hospitals, homes for the aged, adult foster care centers, assisted living facilities, home health workers with high-risk clients

• Group B: Residents at skilled nursing facilities, psychiatric hospitals, homes for the aged, adult foster care centers, assisted living facilities, home health workers working with high-risk clients

 

We anticipate weekly shipments of the Pfizer vaccine and, when approved, the Moderna vaccine. When additional doses are available we will move to Phase 1A Priority Three:

​

• Group A: Workers with direct patient contact who conduct high-risk procedures (dentists, endoscopy, dialysis)

• Group B: Outpatient care, urgent care, ambulatory care and home health

• Group C: Those who have indirect patient contact with specialized skills critical to hospitals, public health, laboratories, pharmacies

​

We will explain more about subsequent phases when we get closer to being able to vaccinate them. As a side note, Saginaw County Health Department nurses will be among the first to be vaccinated so they are protected when vaccinating others.

Several people have asked us if we are getting the vaccine. Yes, we are, without hesitation! We would the first to roll up our sleeves if it weren't for the fact that, in doing so, we would keep an ICU nurse or other Phase 1A Priority One worker from receiving his or her's. Because of the limited doses available this week, we will get our vaccines with our Phase 1A Priority Three Group B and C colleagues.

We will continue to keep you informed about Saginaw County's vaccine plans.

​

Drive-Thru Flu Clinic This Week

​

We are hosting a drive-thru flu clinic on Wednesday from 11am to 1:30pm at the Old Sears Automotive Building at the corner of Tittabawassee and Bay (now the Covenant COVID Testing Center). This event will allow us to vaccine members of our community for influenza and will also serve as a "test run" for future COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

Pre-registration is highly recommended to minimize wait times. You can find the pre-registration form here. The first 200 people to register will receive a Flu Care Kit from Molina, a sponsor for the event. We will also be giving away free masks.  

Please get your flu shot if you haven't already!

​

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

Saginaw Co. Case Data for December 10

 

Positive since 10/1: 7,237
Total positive: 10,075

 

Deaths since 10/1: 158
Total deaths: 294

 

Positivity rate 10/1: 3.5%
Positivity rate now: 19.2%

County hospital capacity (week of Dec. 7): 96.25% full

COVID-19 related: 45.51% 
ICUs: 92.78% full
COVID-19 in ICU: 50.52%

More On Positivity Rate: A Metric the State is Watching

​

With the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) announcing a 12-day extension of our “pause to save lives,” they are also pointing to three specific metrics they will be watching to determine next steps. One of those metrics is our state’s COVID-19 positivity rate.

 
Positivity rate literally means the percentage of all coronavirus tests performed that come back positive, or (positive tests)/(total tests) x 100%. It’s an important number because it helps us determine the level of transmission or degree of “spread” of COVID-19 in our state.
 
An ideal resource to learn more about our positivity rate in real time is mistartmap.info. Locally, in Saginaw County, we use this site regularly to track our positivity rate. Back in October, our 7-day average positivity rate was around 3.5%. We were as high as 16.9% in mid-November, declined a bit to 13.7% on December 1, but then jumped up to 18.9% by December 4 and 19.2% yesterday.
 
Testing has been such an important tool in our fight against COVID-19. Individuals and their healthcare providers use it to treat the illness appropriately and to determine the need to isolate from others for at least 10 days. We rely on it to track the "state of the pandemic," to help us provide guidance to businesses and schools, and to help us determine if our community is doing enough testing for the amount of people who are getting infected.
 
MDHHS is now using it to guide its policy decisions about statewide restrictions designed to reduce transmission.
 
Be sure to tune into our weekly FB Live events every Wednesday at 10am where we consistently analyze Saginaw County’s positivity rate, along with the other two metrics MDHHS will be tracking in the extended “pause to save lives.”

​

COVID-19 Vaccination Update

Planning, Approval and Distribution

​

We should know more very soon from FDA and CDC experts reviewing Pfizer's safety and efficacy data this week and whether they will recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.

We estimate the allotment for Michigan will ship next Tuesday. Between weekly calls with MDHHS and more frequent calls with local and regional partners for planning, we know the original allotment of doses we expected from Pfizer has come down to just 84,000 doses for the entire state. Pharmacy chains will be getting the majority of these for administration to staff and residents at skilled nursing facilities where the virus has been especially prevalent and deadly. Also, included in the first tier of Phase One will be our hospital settings, with initial prioritization on EMS, ICU and emergency room workers -- those on the very front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

After this initial shipment, we expect weekly shipments from Pfizer and, once approved, Moderna. At that point, administration hospital wide and to other healthcare professionals will commense.

The best way to describe vaccine planning is...the path is being laid as we walk down it. An incredible amount of work is being done to get the vaccine out and into the arms of those who need it most. But, it is a fluid situation that is ever changing. Please know that Saginaw County health partners are collaborating and coordinating nearly around the clock to make this happen as soon as possible.

 

Vaccine Information

​

If you haven't already, please check our two fact sheets to learn more. We want people to know as much as possible about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines coming our way...as well as to be prepared for the potential of side effects ranging from redness at the injection site to fever, headache, and fatigue.

There was news yesterday of two people in the United Kingdom who had severe allergic reactions to the vaccine. Both were prone to anaphylactic reactions and carried epi pens. Both have recovered. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will be reviewing all findings and will likely require screening questions that vaccine administrators will assess before giving the vaccine. 

​

Vaccine Safety and Monitoring

​

Rest assured that anyone receiving a vaccine will be filling out a health questionnaire along with a consent form. In addition, those vaccinated will be able to enroll in v-safe -- an after vaccination health checker. This is a smartphone-based tool from the CDC that use text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects. Depending on your answers, someone from the CDC may call to check on you.

​

COVID-19 Testing Turnaround Times

​

To help provide additional information about COVID-19 testing, MDHHS has added testing turnaround time data to the michigan.gov/coronavirus website. Data will be updated weekly on Thursdays and tell users a 14-day average time it takes for a diagnostic COVID-19 lab test to be reported to the state health department. Total turnaround time is calculated by subtracting the date of the sample collection data from the date the laboratory results are received by the state.

Test results may be available to patients and/or providers sooner than the date the are received at MDHHS.

​

Support Our Local Restaurants!

​

The pandemic has been extremely difficult for our county's restauranteurs. And the 8-day "pause" followed by a 12-day extension compound the matter. We strongly encourage everyone to support those businesses that are offering takeout and safe, outside dining options during the state's "pause."

Meanwhile our staff work is working very closely with those who reach out to us for support and assistance. Too often people assume health inspectors and restaurants are at odds with one another. On the contrary, our staff take an educational approach and, throughout the pandemic, have been just a phone call away for restaurant owners in need of clarification on when and how an igloo meets rules, how to protect staff and customers, and how to wisely invest in inside mitigation strategies to keep feeding us once restrictions are lifted by the state!  Meanwhile, go get some takeout!

​

Holiday Guidance

​

From Secret Santas to outdoor bonfires, it's time to get creative with your upcoming holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, for 2020, "not smart" and "not this year" probably describe your usual traditions. 

Yesterday's FB Live event provided lots of guidance and suggestions for good cheer that can't be dimmed by the coronavirus. Be sure to watch here.

If you don't have time to watch during this busy season, here are some tips:

​

• Don't throw caution to the wind just because it's Christmas!

• Give a gift, not COVID-19

• Practice the 3Ws: wash your hands, wear your mask, watch your distance

• Manage your stress during the season

• Take care of yourself -- eat healthy, don't over eat, stay active, get adequate sleep

• Connect with others -- pick up the phone or Zoom friends and family

• Prioritize making the holidays special for those right in your own house

• Don't drink and drive

• Quit smoking

• Wear your seat belt

• Monitor children around toys -- especially anything they put in their mouths

• Practice fire safety

• Practice food safety -- keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot

• Limit or cancel travel

• Keep indoor gatherings to 10 or less people from no more than two healthy households

• If your house is small, don't be the host

​

You should NOT ATTEND OR HOST holiday gatherings if you are:

​

• Sick

• Waiting for test results

• Exposed to COVID-19 through close contact

• Vulnerable -- elderly and/or have serious underlying health conditions

 

Flu Shot Clinic Next Week

​

We are hosting a Flu Shot Clinic next Wednesday, December 16, 11am-1:30pm at the old Sears Automotive Building, which is now the Covenant COVID Testing Center. 
 
Pre-registration is required at www.saginawpublichealth.org.

 

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

Saginaw Co. Case Data for December 1

​

Positive since 10/1: 5,587
Total positive: 8,425

​

Deaths since 10/1: 103
Total deaths: 239

​

Positivity rate 10/1: 3.5%
Positivity rate now: 14.7%

Hospital capacity countywide: 93.74% full

COVID-19 related: 44.17% 
ICUs: 99.19% full
COVID-19 in ICU: 40.32%

​

Deeper Look at November Deaths

Given today’s sharp increase in deaths (+18), we would like to provide additional information. Here’s what we know, from November 1-December 1:
 
1)      79% of the deaths in November were caucasian
2)      57% female
3)      22% lived in a congregate setting
4)      Highest % age breakdown (37.5%) of deaths were people 80-89 years of age
 
We do NOT know how many of these deaths were hospitalized versus at home.
 
We are working to keep you updated as much as possible. With the volume of cases statewide, we are experiencing data delays frequently. Thanks for your patience and understanding as we work to fight the virus and keep our community informed!

​

Tomorrow's FB Live Tackles COVID-19 Questions

​

Tomorrow, Wednesday, December 2, we will again hold our weekly FB Live event at 10 am. This week we will provide our usual COVID-19 update. In addition, we will address some of the most commonly asked questions that come into our COVID-19 Hotline: when will we see the impact of Thanksgiving gatherings, isolation vs. quarantine, when to return to work, COVID-19 testing, what constitutes a COVID death, and more.

We encourage people to watch and pose questions in the comments section as well.

​

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

Saginaw Co. Case Data for November 23

Positive since 10/1: 4,457

Total positive: 7,295

Deaths since 10/1: 74

Total deaths: 210

​

See county-wide data below. If you haven't already minimized your upcoming Thanksgiving plans, please consider doing so now! Ideally, celebrate with your immediate household only. At the very least, keep your gathering to 10 or less from no more than two healthy households. Please note, a negative test is NOT a free pass to gather with others outside your household for Thanksgiving. Remember, COVID-19 has a 2-14 day incubation period. If you have been exposed, you can test negative and still develop COVID-19 up through day 14 and expose others unknowingly. 

If you have children returning from college, please have them quarantine for 14 days before interacting with vulnerable family members.

​

All About Testing

​

A new fact sheet outlines the three different types of testing currently available for COVID-19. Make sure you ASK your testing location which test you are getting and what the results actually tell you. For the most up-to-date testing sites near you, call 211 or click here.

​

COVID-19 Testing Primer Fact Sheet

​

COVID-19 Vaccine Progress the Topic of Next Week's FB Live

​

With so much in the news about emerging vaccines for COVID-19, we are excited to make that the topic of next week's FB live event on Wednesday, November 25 at 10am. Once again, we will be joined by local expert Dr. Nicholas Haddad, MD, FACP, FIDSA, CIC, an infectious disease specialist with CMU Health. Dr. Haddad is going to help us address vaccine progress, when we might expect the vaccine here in Saginaw, how it will be distributed, and how it can impact our community. You won't want to miss this hopeful discussion!

​

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

Saginaw Co. Case Data for November 19

​

Positive since 10/1: 3,767

Total positive: 6,605

Deaths since 10/1: 51

Total deaths: 187

​

Our state's 3-week "pause" is now in effect. It is designed to curb large indoor gatherings and restrict group activities that have shown to increase the risk of COVID-19 exposure. Please continue to do your part by washing your hands, wearing your mask, watching your distance, limiting gatherings, and safely supporting local businesses impacted by restrictions. Let's be proactive and help minimize the strain on our hospitals, healthcare and public health workers! If you have any questions, please reach out to us at the COVID-19 Hotline at (989) 758-3828.

​

If You Employ People, Listen Up!

​

The health department is getting phone calls from employed residents receiving conflicting information about what they should do if they test positive for COVID-19 or are legitimately exposed to it whether in or outside the workplace.

Q: My employer is telling me to quarantine 5-7 days after testing positive, then retest. If that second test is negative, I'm supposed to return to work.

A: WRONG! Forgive the strong tone, but this is important!

If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, they need to ISOLATE themselves at home away from other family members and only leave home for medical care. Here's what they need to do:

• Notify you, the employer that they are positive.

• Notify their healthcare provider ASAP (doctors don’t always received test results).

• Fill out the self-reporting form at www.saginawpublichealth.org. Because of the surge in cases, not everyone is going to get a phone call from us, so it's critical that folks fill out this form. It is REQUIRED if they need a "return to work" letter from us.

• Notify close contacts so they can start to quarantine themselves.

• Your employee does not need to retest. They are no longer contagious and can return to work after:

  • 10 days have passed since symptoms started or since they were tested (if asymptomatic)

  • Fever free for 24 hours

  • Symptoms improve

​

Q: I am a close contact of someone who is positive for COVID-19. My employer (or healthcare provider) is telling me I can return to work if I test negative.

A: WRONG! Again, this is important!

First, there are three different kinds of COVID-19 tests. Make sure to instruct your employees to ask for a PCR test at their testing site. This is the swab test and is the gold standard for determining if someone has an active case of COVID-19. Some locations have rapid tests, but most are sending swabs to commercial labs for testing. Results may take several days. That said, even if your employee tests negative, they still have to quarantine for a full 14 days.

Here's what they need to do:

• Determine when they last came into close contact with COVID+ person when that person was contagious (anywhere from 48 hours before the person's symptoms developed or their test came back positive through their isolation period).

• Quarantine 14 days since last contact.

• If the contact is with someone in your employee's household who hasn’t isolated from them, your employee's quarantine will be 24 days – the 10 days of the sick person's isolation and the following 14 days.

• Monitor themselves for symptoms and consider testing.

• DO NOT use a negative test result to get out of quarantine! 

• Stay home through the 14th day to make sure they don’t develop COVID-19 at any time during its incubation period and spread it to others in your workplace.

​

We have developed a new fact sheet with scenarios to help everybody understand the difference between isolation (for sick people) and quarantine (for exposed people).

​

Download the Fact Sheet

​

We are also developing an employee training program designed to educate you and your workforce about COVID-19, strategies for slowing the spread both in and out of work, how to model safe behavior, and information about upcoming vaccines in an effort to create a culture of safety/prevention for COVID and all diseases.

If your business is interested in helping us pilot the training, contact charrington@saginawcounty.com. 

As always, one of our most important jobs is providing guidance and support to businesses as they work hard to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Please reach out to us if we can help in any way.

​

COVID-19 Vaccine Progress the Topic of Next Week's FB Live

​

With so much in the news about emerging vaccines for COVID-19, we are excited to make that the topic of next week's FB live event on Wednesday, November 25 at 10am. Once again, we will be joined by local expert Dr. Nicholas Haddad, MD, FACP, FIDSA, CIC, an infectious disease specialist with CMU Health. Dr. Haddad is going to help us address vaccine progress, when we might expect the vaccine here in Saginaw, how it will be distributed, and how it can impact our community. You won't want to miss this hopeful discussion!

​

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

UPDATE for Saginaw County 10/27/2020

​

Cases in Saginaw Co.

​

As of today, Saginaw County Health Department was informed that 3,647 Saginaw County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Here are the numbers:

Positive 3,647 (+79 from yesterday)
Recovered 1915 (+2 from yesterday)
Deaths 148 

The Saginaw County Health Department is inundated with calls and concerns about the rise in cases locally, in Michigan, and throughout the nation.
 
We are confident saying the rise locally can be attributed to non-compliance: 1) more people exposing themselves to the virus in high-risk situations, not wearing masks, and not maintaining social distance in public, AND 2) refusal to quarantine once exposed.
 
More alarming might be the level of anxiety we’re perceiving from these calls when they don’t agree with their schools, employers, employees, contract tracers, case investigators, and even providers.
 
First and foremost, we need to bring down the level of defiance, anger, anxiety and panic. Let’s all take a deep breath and talk about a few important things:

• COVID-19 isn’t a political issue – it’s a virus 

• COVID-19 tolerance runs along a spectrum from absolute fear to absolute fake

• Let’s try to meet in the middle

We can assure you that every single school district in our county is working extremely hard to protect students and staff by reducing the risk of COVID-19 and doing whatever they can to offer educational instruction to our children. 

The majority of businesses are working extremely hard to protect customers and employees by reducing the risk of COVID-19 and doing whatever they can to operate with restrictions. Those that aren't can be reported to MIOSHA.

Confronting others who aren't in the same spot on the spectrum as you is not effective. Complaining to the health department is inefficient when we need our small but mighty staff to be conducting case investigations to isolate sick people and self-quarantine exposed people.

Here's the best strategy to reduce our case counts. If we each try to do our best, we will make an impact and keep our community healthier. We ask you and your family to model the following:

• Practice the 3Ws: wash your hands, wear your mask, watch your distance.

• Please comply with isolation orders if you test positive for COVID-19 – stay home for 10 days after the onset of symptoms and don’t go out until you’ve been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications and your symptoms have improved.

• Please comply with self-quarantining if you’re exposed to COVID-19 – stay home for 14 days even if you test negative for COVID-19 during that time.

• Watch our weekly COVID-19 updates on Facebook Live each Wednesday morning at 10am (they are recorded and available afterward) for balanced, fear-free information.

 

Facebook Live this Week

​

When you walk into or drive thru a COVID-19 testing site, do you know which kind of test you’re getting and what it tells you? Maybe or maybe not! Testing options and what they reveal are evolving. Tune in Wednesday, Oct. 28 to our Facebook Live event to learn about advancements in COVID-19 testing and what each is used for in the fight against the pandemic.

​

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

UPDATE for Saginaw County 10/22/2020

 

Cases in Saginaw Co.

As of today, Saginaw County Health Department was informed that 3,350 Saginaw County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Here are the numbers:

Positive 3,350 (+70 from yesterday)
Recovered 1897 (unchanged from yesterday)
Deaths 147 (+2 from yesterday) 

 

CDC Redefines "Close Contact"

​

For months, we have been saying a “close contact” means spending a solid 15 minutes within 6 feet of someone who tests positive for COVID-19.
 
Yesterday, the CDC changed the definition to a “total of 15 minutes” – meaning shorter, but repeated encounters within 6 feet that add up to 15 minutes over a 24-hour period now count.

​

For example, close contact with a COVID-19 positive person could occur with 3 different encounters lasting just 5 minutes over 24 hours...or 5 different encounters within less than 6 feet for just 3 minutes over 24 hours...or 15 1-minute encounters. The key take-away is consistent with our guidance since the beginning –  WATCH YOUR DISTANCE. Stay six feet away from others outside your household at all times. And, if you do come into close contact with a COVID-19 positive case, please quarantine for two weeks.

 

Key Takeaways from Wednesday's Facebook Live for Parents With Sick Kids

​

This is the year to prevent the spread of ALL illnesses -- whether colds, flu, stomach bugs, or COVID-19 -- and not "push through it" like we're accustomed to doing with mild illnesses. That means when a kid wakes up feeling under the weather, they need to STAY HOME -- two scary words for working parents.

If your child has sniffles, new or worsening cough, congestion, fever, vomiting or diarrhea, call your doctor about what happens next to rule out COVID-19 or other illnesses. There are reliable tests to quickly confirm flu or RSV. And if allergies are to blame, doctors need to treat those and provide a note parents can give schools and day care facilities for peace of mind.

That said, having a back-up plan for home care is REALLY important for working parents!  The contingency plan needs to cover every eventuality -- from keeping kids home for a few days for a cold and sniffles...to as many as 14 days for quarantine after exposure to COVID-19.

"I know this is a lousy situation," said Mary D. Moore, MD, an associate professor pediatrics at CMU Health in Saginaw and today's special guest. "And it's okay to say it's lousy."

But it's a reality some families will face:

​

• With kids in school and athletics

• As the weather gets cold and we head indoors where sharing germs is easier

• Because more and more people are putting themselves in situations where they can be exposed to COVID-19

• Since some exposed people put others at risk by not quarantining for 14 days

• As we gather for holidays with friends and family we don't live with on a regular basis

 

Dr. Moore believes we are in the third peak of COVID-19 in the United States and cautioned listeners to keep practicing the 3 Ws: wash your hand, wear your masks, and watch your distance. At the same time, she provided a some perspective on COVID-19 for children in Saginaw County:

​​

• 12% of our positive cases involve children

• 0 deaths among children

• More girls than boys have been infected 

• Boys, however, have had more severe cases

• Only 5 children have been hospitalized since March for COVID-19

• Most kids who get COVID-19 have symptoms but only mild ones 

• In general, our local kids are fairing well

• Schools are doing their very best to keep students and staff healthy and have kept outbreaks to a minimum

 

"It's a stressful time," Dr. Moore said. "This is not over. We're maybe half-way through this pandemic. It will take a while for a vaccine to go to everyone, so we need to prepare for a marathon and help each other along." She encourages families to stop "doom scrolling," stay active, lean on faith, help others, enjoy pets, rely on humor, and take breaks when needed. 

 

Upcoming FB live events will focus on more guidance for the holidays and new developments in COVID-19 testing so you can know what kind of test you're getting and what it does and doesn't tell you.

​

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

UPDATE for Saginaw County 10/20/2020

​

Cases in Saginaw Co.

​

As of today, Saginaw County Health Department was informed that 3,260 Saginaw County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Here are the numbers:

Positive 3,260 (+25 from yesterday)
Recovered 1893 (+12 from yesterday)
Deaths 144 

Response to Uptick in Cases

 

We are receiving lots of questions about Saginaw County’s recent uptick in daily new cases, including 116 new cases over the weekend plus another 25 today. 

​

Based on our case investigations, we don’t see any one event or location linking our new cases together. Outbreaks in schools and businesses are minimal. The likely cause is more and more people putting themselves in situations where they can be exposed to the virus, and exposed people putting others at risk by not quarantining for 14 days. 
 
We understand that people are anxious to go back to normal life, like before COVID-19, and may be relaxing their safety precautions. But that doesn’t mean the virus has gone away or those at high risk of exposure should be lax. We need people to understand that when they get exposed to COVID-19, they need to quarantine themselves for 14 days to prevent the further spread of the disease. Whether exposed to COVID-19 at work, at a gathering, at home, or at school, people need to STAY HOME and STAY AWAY from others. We’re coming out of hiding more, leaving our homes for a multitude of essential and non-essential reasons or opening our homes to people we don’t routinely live with, and all this bears risk.
 
Now is precisely the time to remain vigilant on washing hands, wearing masks, and watching our distance – particularly as the weather gets colder and we move our activities back indoors – and continue to limit indoor gatherings as ordered.

​

Facebook Live Tomorrow Focuses on Guidance for Parents With Sick Kids

​

Every working parent dreads those mornings when you wake up to face a full day and instead find a flushed, feverish, snotty nose kid at the breakfast table. This year, the stress of trying to figure out what to do with a sick kid is further amplified by the fear of not knowing if it's COVID-19 or some other less threatening illness like a cold or allergies. And how do you know the difference when symptoms are the same?

That's the topic of tomorrow's Facebook Live event at 10 a.m. We will be joined by Mary D. Moore, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at CMU Health in Saginaw, to talk about the stress of illness — allergies, colds, flu and “regular” illnesses during a pandemic, what to do to rule out or confirm COVID-19, and how to handle school requirements.

Remember, 2020 is NOT the year for perfect school attendance! It IS the year for creating a Plan B contingency plan for handling sick kids that need to stay home. Tune in to learn more.

​

We encourage you to refer to www.mistartmap.info, the Saginaw County Health Department website at www.saginawpublichealth.org and our Facebook page. We continue to post timely information and videos to answer some of the most urgent questions we are receiving from partners and the public.

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Christina Harrington, MPH
Health Officer

Delicia Pruitt, MD
Medical Director

​