Redwings Swimmers/Divers Selected To Dream Team and All Area
The Lansing State Journal has published their Girls Swim and Dive Dream Team and all-area selections in Greater Lansing. This year’s outstanding Redwing team includes two Dream Team, two All-Area Selections and three Honorable Mentions. These awards highlight a successful season that included new school records and a strong finish at the State Finals.
Photo Credit: Josh Ortman, Ortman Productions.
See all the pictures from St. Johns Sports and Events. https://www.ortmanproduction.com/stjohnshighschool
Choose the right place of care
The Mid-Michigan District Health Department and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are reminding Michiganders to choose the right place of care for medical needs to help relieve the burden on our State’s health care systems.
Michigan’s health care systems continue to be overburdened with COVID-19 patients, a majority of which are unvaccinated. From January 15 – December 3, 85.1% of COVID-19 cases, 88.1% of hospitalizations and 85.5% of deaths were among individuals who were not fully vaccinated. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 continue to be mostly preventable by receiving one of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.
We urge everyone to continue seeking medical care but avoid emergency departments unless they have a life-threatening condition. If you don’t have a primary care provider, now is a great time to find one through contact with your local health care system.
Illnesses can be treated at a variety of care settings depending on the severity of symptoms. Michiganders with life-threatening emergencies should always seek care by calling 911 or visiting the nearest emergency department for things like a heart attack or stroke, choking, head injuries, severe burns, broken bones, uncontrolled bleeding, or severe respiratory distress.
Call a health care provider (like your local physician’s office) for a virtual or in-person appointment or visit an urgent care provider for ailments such as colds or flu, sprains, rashes or minor burns, ear pain, animal or insect bites, allergies, or a COVID-19 test.
If you have minor symptoms like sniffles or a cough you should get tested for COVID-19.
Sparrow receives federal grant to expand virtual health services between its hospitals
Sparrow has received a $586,000 federal grant to purchase telehealth equipment, primarily aimed at expanding patient access and leading-edge medicine for areas served by their Community Hospitals in Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia, and St. Johns.
Sparrow had the top application in Michigan and was among 62 healthcare facilities nationwide that received funding by the Federal Communications Commission in Round 2 of its COVID-19 Telehealth Program. The funding will support such things as video connections between Sparrow’s various sites, for example allowing a physician at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing to connect with a patient at Sparrow Ionia Hospital. It will also fund such efforts as a virtual stethoscope, permitting a physician at one site to listen to the heart of a patient at another site.
It is primarily aimed at rural areas and will allow patients to connect with their clinicians virtually without leaving their homes. That’s important during the pandemic when some people might find it more difficult to travel and to be around others in an office setting.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to health care has proven to be not only a national issue, but also a local issue, and it is imperative that every community is given the tools to access this care as safely and effectively as possible,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
The boost in virtual care will better allow patients to stay local in line with Sparrow’s mission of keeping care close to home. For instance, instead of traveling from Sparrow Carson to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing for a consultation, they could do it virtually and save the trip.
Sparrow is currently averaging over 3,000 video visits a month, compared to 0 in February 2020 before the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, patients could only access primary care by physicially going to an office. Now, they can have a telephone visit, a video visit, or submit an e-visit or message to be diagnosed and treated without leaving home.
Patients love the convenience of a virtual visit, it can speed up how soon they’re seen by a clinician, and it saves a spot for a more critically ill patient.
The front door for virtual health at Sparrow is through our MySparrow app at
Sparrow.org/MySparrow.
No collection delays for Christmas or New Years week
Residential and commercial trash and recycling collection will take place on normal collection day(s) during the weeks of December 20 and 27.
All Granger offices and facilities will be open for normal business hours during the weeks of December 20 and 27 including on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
Santa Train visits neighborhoods
The Santa Train was wending its way around town. Here it is traveling south on Ottawa Street and crossing West Higham.
Send the kids to the Wilson Center gym
Looking to get your kids, grades 3-12, out of the house for a little while the next two days to get some exercise? Why not drop them off at the Wilson Center for some open gym time?
Registration is available online at Facebook.
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