Cases are increasing nationwide, and Michigan has followed suit. But hospitalizations remain low, and doctors say the uptick is still a far cry from the worst days of the pandemic.
Next year’s budget fully funds local public health for the first time in decades. Now it’s time to beef up programming and staffing and work to restore trust and personal connections after a politicized pandemic.
The pandemic-induced labor market squeeze has created new opportunities for formerly incarcerated Michiganders. Experts say businesses have become increasingly open to hiring applicants with criminal records.
During the COVID pandemic, an unprecedented 3.1 million Michiganders were covered by Medicaid, the safety-net insurance program. The rule has expired, and Michigan is paring back its programs, with the first people losing coverage July 31.
Michigan’s bottle and can deposit law was once a national model. But the return rate plunged from 89 to 73 percent after the state temporarily banned deposit returns to curb COVID, and hasn’t risen much since.
As of May, COVID-19 is no longer declared as a federal public health emergency. But many Michiganders are still living with long COVID as experts struggle to define and treat the syndrome.
Drug shortages have come and gone over the years, but national data confirms what Michigan doctors are feeling: they’re worse now. This includes antibiotics for strep, ear infections and syphilis, ADHD meds and two drugs for cancer.
A doctor, author and national expert on epidemics through the ages, Dr. Howard Markel of the University of Michigan managed to avoid COVID for nearly three years. Then he faced the ‘human petri dish’ of international travel.
Guarantees of free COVID tests end with the last day of the national public health emergency, and there will be less data to pore through. But other impacts from a deadly pandemic will remain.
Local governments are flush with one-time federal and state money but face staff shortages, rising costs and rapidly approaching deadlines to spend funds. Having the money is not the same as being able to push it out the door for needed investments.
The updated booster is for those over 65 or with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals under the age of 50 currently are not recommended to get multiple booster shots.
Michigan’s health department is reaching out to Medicaid beneficiaries with a warning: You’ll get cut from coverage if you don’t re-enroll. But the outreach won’t be easy; mailing addresses have changed.
With complete control of governance, Democrats passed a raft of liberal bills within their first 100 days. Republicans are annoyed, sounding much like Democrats from years past. Now comes the hard part.
If based solely by population, Michigan had the 10th worst COVID death rate of any state in the nation. But when adjusted for the state’s older and less healthy population, the state’s handling of the pandemic fares much better.