Special COVID-19 Updates
April 6
MMDHD reminds Businesses about Stay Home, Stay Safe
In an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Mid-Michigan District Health Department (MMDHD) is reminding businesses that have been deemed “essential” that they must comply with the Governor’s Emergency Order 2020-21 while operating. This includes screening employees for symptoms of COVID-19. If employees are symptomatic, they may not work.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, no one may operate a business that requires workers to leave their homes “except to the extent that those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations.”
Employers are reminded:
– Only essential employees may work during the pandemic. Essential employees are defined as “those whose in-person presence is strictly necessary to allow an operation to maintain the value of inventory and equipment.”
– Employers may not discharge, discipline, or otherwise retaliate against an employee for staying home from work if they or one of their close contacts tests positive for COVID-19 or has symptoms of the disease.
– During the pandemic employers are required to adopt daily screening policies to prevent workers from entering the worksite if they display respiratory symptoms or fever or have had contact with a person who is known or suspected to have COVID-19.
– Limit capacity inside facilities to provide for social distancing between customers and employees. This includes, but is not limited to use of signs, contact barriers, entrance limits and specialized hours.
Emergency Order 2020-21 did not include details about how businesses should go about screening employees, so MMDHD has issued its own emergency order including instructions and tools for employers. The materials can be found on the Health Department’s website: www.mmdhd.org/coronavirus.
First responders, health care personnel, pharmacies and others working to mitigate COVID-19 are exempt and are able to work after a potential exposure as long as they are monitored for symptoms.
Employers who have questions, or employees who would like to file a complaint may call:
Clinton County: 989-224-2195
Gratiot County: 989-875-3681
Montcalm County: 989-831-5237
April 4
If you received a citation within the last 10 calendar days, your traffic ticket may be eligible for a free online ticket review. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY TICKETS ISSUED BY THE STATE POLICE.
Click https://www.clinton-county.org/525/Online-Ticket-Mediation for details.
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Blessed Palms will be available for pick up just inside the door at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
April 3
Due to continued health and safety issues, the St. Johns Lions Club drop off recycling site located in St. Johns has just informed the County they are closing immediately this morning until further notice.
Stay Updated
Mid-Michigan District Health Department website: www.mmdhd.org
MDHHS’s website: www.michigan.gov/coronavirus
CDC’s website: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Learn how to prepare for a pandemic: ready.gov/pandemic
Don’t overfill waste carts
Please don’t overflow your trash/recycling/yard waste carts. Sanitation workers have a tough job under normal circumstances, but many are worried right now about the spread of COVID 19 because they have to pick up other peoples waste that is overflowing the cart.
Keeping it contained in your curbside cart will reduce potential exposure and ease these concerns. If you have too much to fit, save it for next week if possible.
Conservation District still open for Essential Services
Michigan’s Conservation District offices may look quiet (and closed) from the outside due to the State’s COVID-19 crisis response. Yet staff are still very busy fielding phone calls and emails from concerned citizens.
“Directors and staff across Michigan’s 75 Conservation Districts are available and open for business to support Michigan agriculture,” said Gerald Miller, President of the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD). “District Staff have access to their offices and are working remotely to support farmers and growers as they implement conservation programs on private lands.”
Though deemed essential services by Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order, District offices are closed to in-person customers. But Spring planting season is upon us – one of the busiest times of year for most Districts.
Therefore, District staff are working remotely and from home to continue all possible services, including one-on-one natural resource advice.
“Resident contacts haven’t seemed to change much,” said Allison Brucks, Executive Director of Van Buren Conservation District. “We’ve been helping residents with applications, tree seedling orders, plant IDs, backyard habitat questions, and recycling concerns, all through email or phone conversations.”
Social distancing practices are strictly being followed by field staff during on-site visits necessary to help farmers meet verification and funding requirements for agriculture programs like the USDA’s Farm Bill.
“I’m very proud of the staff work now being implemented in all 75 Conservation Districts,” Miller said.
All citizens, producers and landowners eager for smart conservation options – even while sequestered to their land during the COVID-19 crisis – are highly encouraged to call or email their local District’s office for details and support. In most cases, calls can be routed to specialized staff working remotely.
District websites also have the latest local updates on available services and postponed events. https://www.clintonconservation.org/
“Our staff has been in great communication working on various projects,” Brucks said. “We have Zoomed or Skyped staff meetings, and email, call, and text multiple times daily. We are all hanging in there best we can, and plan to continue to be there for our people.”
Citizens are also encouraged to take advantage of trail systems for hikes and fresh air, including those maintained by Districts.
“In these uncertain times, spending time in nature may be just what we need to stay grounded and heal our souls,” said Koffi Kpachavi, Executive Director of Grand Traverse Conservation District.
Michigan Conservation Districts are local units of government that utilize state, federal, and private sector resources to solve today’s conservation challenges.
As the local providers of natural resource management services – much like local fire, police, health, and school services – Conservation Districts help local citizens conserve their lands and waterways so Michigan’s environment can be a cleaner, healthier, economically stronger place to live, work and grow.
For the latest updates on how the State of Michigan is responding to the coronavirus pandemic, and vital steps you can take to help stop it’s spread, please check out www.michigan.gov/Coronavirus.
Cedar Creek Hospital provides update on Coronavirus
Scott Miles, CEO of Cedar Creek Hospital of Michigan, provides the latest update on coronavirus (COVID-19). “As leaders in mental healthcare, we are making every effort to avoid inciting unnecessary panic or anxiety among our clients and families, and we are taking every measure to protect them – along with our employees – during this dynamic situation. We are closely monitoring information provided by key government, regulatory and local entities.”
Important Coronavirus Update
We remind our community to follow the guidance: If individuals develop a fever or cough or have difficulty breathing, or have had close contact with someone who has had a confirmed positive COVID-19 test result, please seek medical attention by calling your provider’s office. For more information regarding the coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
In the interest of protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff and our community, the following actions have been implemented at our Facility.
Services and Programs
” Our facility is fully operational and serving the needs of our community. We are taking proactive steps to keep our patients and team members safe, including screening all individuals upon entering the facility.
” For those in need of non-emergency behavioral healthcare, kindly contact us rather than the local Emergency Department.
” We are actively monitoring and responding to all recommendations made by the CDC and our local regulatory and health authorities.
” In an effort to reduce the likelihood of community spread, all in-person visitation has been suspended (with limited critical exceptions). We strongly encourage the use of electronic methods to stay connected with loved ones including telemedicine, zoom, and extended phone time.
” We have implemented additional training for all employees on handwashing and hand sanitization, and strict employee and client compliance with washing/sanitizing hands thoroughly and often.
” We have increased the frequency of the required cleaning and sanitization of our facility, including intake rooms, surfaces and common areas.
” Our Facility’s community education programs may be cancelled/postponed; we ask the community to follow us on Facebook for updates.
Prevention
The CDC recommends individuals and families follow everyday preventive measures:
” Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue.
” Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; especially after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
” If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60-95% alcohol.
” Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
” Stay home when you are sick with respiratory disease symptoms.
” Practice ‘social distancing’ in an effort to avoid spread of the virus. Do not meet in groups larger than 10 persons, and maintain personal space when engaging in in-person interactions.
” The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including coronavirus. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it or if you have the virus and are showing symptoms.
We thank our community for everyone’s cooperation and for being an advocate for the health of your loved ones and all patients in our care.