As COVID cases spike, Michigan is doubling down on promising therapeutic treatments and on preventative measures that work: Wearing a mask, washing hands and maintaining social distance.
Although the governor did not introduce any new restrictions, Michigan has five times the number of coronavirus cases it had in February, and an 18% positivity rate. Since January, 291 clusters have been identified as connected to school sports alone.
"This situation is very serious," Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said, adding that more Michiganders getting the vaccine is the best path forward. More than 40% of Michigan residents aged 16 and over have gotten the vaccine; The goal is 70%.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said infusion treatments including the monoclonal treatments Regeneron and Eli Lilly are "another tool in our tool box" that the state plans to emphasize. So far, 6,600 Michiganders have gotten the treatment.
“Regeneron treatment very likely saved (Donald Trump’s) life,” Whitmer said.
Monoclonal antibodies are proteins made in a laboratory that can block the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein associated with COVID-19 from attaching to and entering into human cells, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The state pledged to increase the number of infusion sites around the state.
“These antibody treatments could keep you out of the hospital and save your life, and my administration and I will continue working with the federal government to make sure we are using all the tools in our toolbox to keep you and your family safe and get back to normal sooner," Whitmer said in a news release.
Anyone with underlying health conditions qualifies for the treatments, she added. "The sooner you get them after testing positive, the more beneficial they will be," Whitmer said.
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And these therapeutic treatments should be free for anyone who needs them, the governor added. "I want you to know that we are doing everything we can to make these treatments available for free to anyone who needs them," Whitmer said.