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Local News

Flu Shots Now Available

Flu season begins late fall in our area, and the St. Clair County Health Department is recommending the flu vaccine for all eligible individuals.

Flu vaccines can be given in various forms to people 6 months of age and older.

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer of the St. Clair County Health Department wants people to know that Flu vaccines help your body use its own immune system to fight the virus. “Flu vaccines stimulate your body’s own natural immune system to develop antibodies. These antibodies provide protection against infection by circulating influenza viruses that can start any time after October,” she said.

Dr. Mercatante also said, “It takes your body at least 2 weeks to create these protective antibodies after a vaccine, so consider getting vaccinated sooner than later.”

Flu cases were down last year because COVID mitigation strategies such as physical distancing and masking reduced transmission. This year, people are behaving much differently, and cases will likely increase.

The flu vaccine is available from your primary care physician, many pharmacies, and all St. Clair County Health Department and Teen Health locations.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Community Baby Shower Goes Virtual Starting October 11th

This year’s Community Baby Shower is adapting for the times. The event will be held online, using the Facebook Group platform. The Community Baby Shower is for St. Clair County’s expectant families and new parents with babies under three months old.

The Community Baby Shower is sponsored by St. Clair County RESA’s Early Childhood Department. The event starts on October 11th. Participants will earn chances for prizes with each presentation that they attend. The topics include growth and development, nutrition, preterm labor, safety, and the importance of play.

Participants will have until October 14th to watch the presentations and will be eligible for door prizes with each presentation.

The Community Baby Shower is an annual tradition in St. Clair County, where local businesses and agencies partner to shower families with the things they need to get their new babies off to a great start.

Interested families will need to fill out a registration form online. After registering, expectant and new parents will get an email link to the Community Baby Shower.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsHfpNg-TC2xmYQmF3tYAENhiV2FW-0cjZYnjBsX7Vb4OWQA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR3VACyD9KRytPXKICSBV5q_uf0p9dte5YH1194yIpVDgAwwsKci2okok4Y

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Clean Slate to Drive Gets People Back on the Road

Approximately 73,000 Michiganders will receive letters over the next two weeks letting them know their suspended driver’s licenses can be reinstated.

The Clean Slate to Drive legislation went into effect on October 1, 2021, and it lifts suspensions on those who failed to pay tickets or court fines or failed to appear in court for certain violations. Many of the included violations involve having alcohol  in a vehicle, the purchase or possession of alcohol by a minor, or having unpaid parking tickets.

Those who receive letters and the chance to reinstate their driver’s license will be able to start driving again even if they owe fees, although they are still responsible to pay. Situations vary, so qualifying individuals should follow the instructions provided in their letter.

Even though suspensions are being lifted, the violations will still appear on the driver’s record.

For more information, visit the Secretary of State’s website here:

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,4670,7-127-1627_108835—,00.html

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Blue Water Safe Horizons Raising Awareness at Oct. 9 Event

Blue Water Safe Horizons is hosting the first ever Domestic Violence Awareness Resource Event for St. Clair County. It will be held at Pine Grove Park in Port Huron from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 9th. 

Blue Water Safe Horizons will have information available to help the community recognize the warning signs of domestic violence. There will also be activity tables where the community can earn SURVIVOR, ADVOCATE, or ALLY t-shirts. 

Elizabeth Sawielski, Blue Water Safe Horizons Executive Director, says, “The event is designed to increase awareness of intimate-partner domestic violence in our community and help others understand the resources that are available in St. Clair County. One in three women and one in four men in the U.S. have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner and the work that we do is so important to our community.” 

Blue Water Safe Horizons operates Carolyn’s Place, a 26-bed facility for time-limited emergency needs for women and children. Just last year, Blue Water Safe Horizons provided more than 5,000 nights of stay to victims, answered 500 crisis hotline calls, and served more than 500 women and children. 

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Sick? Don’t Kiss the Baby: RSV is on the Rise in Infants

While COVID gets all the attention, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is showing up earlier than normal and at higher rates than expected. RSV is a respiratory virus that hits very young children particularly hard.

The virus usually peaks in the heart of winter, but it is running rampant right now. The respiratory virus is highly contagious and spreads through droplets in the air after a cough or sneeze.

Adults and older children usually get through RSV like they would a mild cold, but if it spreads to infants, the infection can be much more serious. Preventing transmitting RSV is the best way to keep babies safe.

Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive, said, “Avoid close contact with people who are unwell, wash hands often, cover sneezes, avoid touching your face with your hands and frequently disinfect surfaces.”

It is also important to keep children home when sick, avoid close contact actions like kissing, handshakes, sharing cups and utensils, and clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, toys, and mobile devices.

It’s important to call your child’s health care provider right away if your child has any of the following signs or symptoms:

  • A cold and is less than six months of age or at high risk for RSV.
  • Difficulty breathing:
    • Short, shallow and fast breaths.
    • Skin between ribs or under the neck pulls with each breath.
  • Lips, tongue or skin color turns blue or gray.
  • Trouble eating, drinking or sleeping.
  • Gets dehydrated (decreased number of wet diapers).

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

COVID-19 Booster Shots Available at Health Department

The CDC is now recommending COVID-19 booster shots for some individuals. To be eligible, at least 6 months must have passed since a second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Individuals must also be at increased risk of severe illness or exposure because of age, underlying health conditions, employment, or living in an institutional setting, such as a long-term care facility. COVID-19 vaccine is free and local health care providers, pharmacies, and the St. Clair County Health Department.

“Vaccination remains our best protection against severe COVID illness and death,” says Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer with the St. Clair County Health Department. “We have prioritized making COVID vaccination as easy as possible, but also want to remind everyone that vaccination is now widely available at doctor’s offices and pharmacies. We continue to use multiple strategies to ensure equitable access to vaccine and booster doses. Please get vaccinated or boosted wherever is most accessible for you.”

At this time, the Pfizer booster authorization only applies to people whose primary series was Pfizer vaccine. People in the recommended groups who got the Moderna or J&J/Janssen vaccine will likely need a booster shot. More data on the effectiveness and safety of Moderna and J&J/Janssen booster shots are expected soon.

Pfizer Booster Eligibility

The CDC recommendation for Pfizer booster doses 6 months after the second dose includes:

  • Older adults (65 years and older)
  • Adults in long-term care or other institutional settings
  • People aged 18-64 years with certain underlying health conditions
  • Adults working in certain jobs where they are at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19

o   First responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)

o   Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)

o   Food and agriculture workers

o   Manufacturing workers

o   Corrections workers

o   U.S. Postal Service workers

o   Public transit workers

o   Grocery store workers

o   This list could be updated in the future.

To schedule an appointment at the St. Clair County Health Department call (810) 987-5300.

Email COVID-19 questions to covid19@stclaircounty.org or call the informational hotline (810) 966-4163. Visit the website www.scchealth.co and follow us on social media @scchdmi.

Submitted by the St. Clair County Health Department