(WWJ) The Wayne County Health Department has issued an advisory calling for all remote learning for at least a month and a half as Michigan sees record-high COVID-19 numbers.
The Public Health Advisory makes a “strong recommendation” that all public, private and boarding schools in the county should transfer to online learning only through at least January 15, 2021.
“We have reached a point in the pandemic that we hoped the County would never see,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “This advisory is the strongest recommendation we can issue at this time to help prevent further spread of COVID-19.”
The Public Act 149 of 2020 directs school districts to develop learning programs to adapt to the pandemic and accommodate students to keep them safe.
Detroit, the state’s largest school district of more than 50,000 students and 1,900 staff members, has announced it will be exclusively online until at least January 11.
Livonia has also cancelled all in-person instruction until at least December 7.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services already closed high schools for in-person classes for at least three weeks under an epidemic order, but K-8 grades were still allowed to hold in-person instruction.
Related
54 school outbreaks have been reported by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) in the past two weeks, with 2 in Wayne County: 4 cases at Owen Intermediate School in Belleville, and three staff members tested positive at Salem High School in Canton.
The Wayne County Health Department announced 1,170 new COVID-19 cases Friday. Statewide, the MDHHS reported nearly 9,800 cases, a daily record high. 53 Michiganders have also lost their lives to the virus since Thursday.
In the last three weeks, the state has had more cases than in the first six months of the pandemic combined.
More than 3,800 adults and 15 children are hospitalized statewide with a confirmed or suspected case of the virus, and 835 people are on ventilators.
Hospitals are filling up, with some in Metro Detroit at 90% capacity or higher including: Henry Ford Macomb Hospital (92%), McLaren Macomb (92%), Ascension Novi (90%), Detroit Receiving (96%). This includes all patients regardless of COVID-19 status. For more information on hospitalizations, click here.
The statewide fatality rate stands at 2.8%, a drastic decrease from 10% in the early days of the pandemic. 8,377 Michiganders have passed away after testing positive from the virus, out of more than 295,000 total cases. For more on the demographics of those who have passed away, click here.
More than 138,860 are considered recovered after surviving 30 days since testing positive for the virus.
School-age children can spread the disease without signs or symptoms, according to the Wayne County Health Department.
“We are working extremely closely with our school districts to prevent further spread,” said Dr. Mouhanad Hammami, Wayne County Chief Health Strategist. “It is our intent to keep schools, its staff and students safe from COVID-19.”
Evans also reiterated the guidance of the CDC, urging families not to combine households for Thanksgiving.
“With Thanksgiving just next week we need to double our efforts to help protect the most vulnerable among us,” Evans said. “This guidance is imperative to safeguarding the health and safety of our community.”
Related
Related
