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(WWJ) When it comes to the possibility of a "second wave" of the coronavirus in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says it isn't a matter of if, but when.
Speaking to members of the Detroit Regional Chamber on Wednesday, Whitmer says the state is in much stronger position today to combat a second surge, which she said is expected this fall and winter.
"If you've studied pandemics you know that there will be a second wave," Whitmer said. "The question is, how intense will it be? How long will it last for? We know the tools we need to keep ourselves safe and keep a second wave from overwhelming us."
The governor says how well Michigan does depends on how residents collectively continue to mask up and maintain social distancing.
But, overall, she says we're in a better spot than we were last spring.
"We're a lot stronger going into a second wave," the governor said. "We've learned a lot about this virus, we've built up our PPE (personal protection equipment) stores, we've build up relationships with partnerships like with Ford and FEMA over the donation of masks. Dow Chemical creating hand sanitizer. Our hospitals are in a much better position going into it."
The governor says how well we do depends on how state residents collectively continue to mask up and maintain social distancing.
Whitmer also stressed the important of flu shots this season, as preventing the flu will help preserve health care resources.
"If we get inoculated with a flu vaccine, that'll be fewer people in the hospital, that will help us when we see a resurgence of COVID," Whitmer said. "But as the temperature starts to drop and we go inside it's really important we all continue to keep our guard up, because that's how COVID spreads. When we're close in contact and we're inside it's more dangerous inherently."
Asked where Whitmer thinks "we're at" with COVID-19 in Michigan, she said: "We're still, I hate to say it, in the relatively early phases. This remains a novel virus. We're learning an incredible amount about COVID-19 every day, every week."
There were hundreds of new coronavirus cases reported on Wednesday, as Whitmer said Michigan ranks 40th in the seven-day average of new coronavirus cases per capita.
State health officials today reported 783 new COVID-19 cases, and 13 additional death in Michigan, bringing the death toll to 6,552. While 108,595 people in Michigan have been confirmed to be infected, officials say 80,678 are considered to be officially recovered.
There are more than 400 confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized around the state at this time, the health department said.
The governor's comments came as part of an online serious of conversations organized in place of the Chamber's Mackinac Police Conference, which was canceled this year due to the pandemic.