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Protect First Responders as Coronavirus Spreads

As of 4 PM Friday afternoon, Michigan is reporting 3,657 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 92 deaths. St. Clair County has 15 confirmed COVID-19 cases. The Health Department is no longer reporting details about the age and hospitalization status of the new cases. 

Ken Cummings, President/CEO of Tri-Hospital EMS, member of the Emergency Operations Center team, strongly encourages the following; “If you call 911 for a medical emergency, please provide accurate information on any health symptoms you or your loved one is experiencing. When EMS arrives, you will be asked this again before staff enter your home. This is important in order to protect workers so they can take the necessary precautions and stay safe.”

Captain Mat King, from the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, member of the Emergency Operations Center team, is also encouraging, “Follow the Governor’s Executive Order to stay in as much as possible. If you are out and come in contact with law enforcement officials, be aware you will be asked to share any health symptoms in order for officers to properly protect themselves from potential exposure.”

The St. Clair County Emergency Operations Center functions as a centralized coordination of emergency resources to provide overall policy and guidance for strategic objectives related to the COVID-19 situation.

Please follow reputable sources for information:

McLaren Port Huron Organizes COVID-19 Relief Fund

The McLaren Port Huron Foundation has set up a fund for COVID-19 response in answer to community members wanting to help. In a recent statement, the Foundation said “So many of you have reached out with offers of cash contributions and supply donations to support caregivers and patients during the unique times in which we find ourselves.” 

Through the new fund, the hospital is accepting donations from individuals who would like to support efforts to deal with cost and supply needs related to COVID-19. Donations would fund hospital-grade supplies such as N95 masks, PAPRs, and other items through their suppliers. The Foundation is assuring that, “100 percent of your financial donation will go toward helping McLaren Port Huron caregivers and patients involved in the fight against the virus.” More information can be found at mclaren.org/phfoundation.

Pharmacists May Now Dispense Refills of Prescriptions for 60 Days

Pharmacists may now dispense emergency refills of prescriptions for up to 60 days worth of supply for patients as part of a new Executive Order signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The order takes effect immediately and ends on April 22, with potential for renewal if needed. 

The order requires insurers to cover the emergency refills and allows pharmacists to dispense treatments to those suffering from COVID-19 infection, according to government approved protocol. The order does not include controlled substances. The purpose of the order is to “ease a burden on seniors and families worried about maintaining a supply of medication for themselves or their children,” according to Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy Director for Health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. 

The effort is part of the state’s Stay Home, Stay Safe mandate and is aimed at patients and their caretakers who may be forced to go out to get medications, possibly increasing their likelihood of exposure to the COVID-19 virus. The order also allows pharmacists to use their discretion to substitute therapeutically equivalent medications without prescriber approval if there are critical shortages.

OTA TV Rescan

Now is the time to rescan your TV if you use an over-the-air antenna to get access to local television stations, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Many local stations are changing frequencies to help free up airwaves for new high-speed wireless service. They are required by law to make the change. 

Antenna users in the local area need to rescan now to continue receiving free programming from the Detroit market of television stations. You may need to rescan more than once to get all the stations, according to tvanswers.org, which is an initiative of the National Association of Broadcasters to provide information about the scan to antenna users. No new equipment is needed to update the frequencies, and no scan is needed for cable or satellite TV users.

 Once the rescan is done, local TV viewers are likely to find that they get more channels, including some Canadian channels. Antennas are used by 72 million Americans, many of whom will be impacted by the switch of nearly 1,000 stations. For additional assistance in rescanning, contact the FCC’s consumer hotline at 1-888-225-5322 and press prompt number 6.

United Way Emergency Services Fund

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Way of St. Clair County’s (UWSCC) Board of Directors has made additional funds available through the organization’s long-standing Emergency Services Fund.

The fund will be used for a multitude of efforts to help with recovery, including food, housing, utilities assistance, operational funding gaps for health and human service agencies and access to services for vulnerable populations.

During this time of great concern, the local United Way attests it seen businesses, organizations, and residents join together and stand united for the benefit of all. This has partly been seen in the form of financial donations to UWSCC’s Emergency Services Fund. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Meijer, and The Stebbins Family have already contributed significantly to the fund. 

In accordance with Governor Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order, the United Way’s office will be closed at least through April 13. As always, 211 is a three-digit phone call available 24/7 to connect residents with information and referrals to help them through the COVID-19 pandemic.

As Cases Increase: Officials Urge Stay Home, Stay Connected

As of 4 PM today, the state of  Michigan has  2,856 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 60 deaths. 

St. Clair County: (13) confirmed COVID-19 cases; three additional cases since yesterday:

·         78 y/o female; hospitalized

·         39 y/o female; hospitalized

·         54 y/o female; recovering at home

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer at the St. Clair County Health Department stated, “The message has not changed; stay home, stay safe and don’t go out unless absolutely necessary. If you do have to go out, take the necessary precautions; stay six feet away from others, wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, cover your cough, and other prevention tips. If we all make this a priority, we will keep our hospitals, first responders and front line staff safe. This is a temporary inconvenience and with everyone’s help we will get through it together.”

Deb Johnson, Executive Director at St. Clair County Community Mental Health, reminds residents to stay connected and avoid isolation as we shelter in place. “We are free to go outside so long as we exercise social distancing. There is no reason to stay indoors every day. Stay connected with family, friends, and loved ones by phone, text and email. Like you, they probably need someone they trust that they can talk to about their concerns and feelings. If you are having extreme difficulty or are in crisis, call the CMH Access Line at 888-225-4447 or the Mobile Crisis Unit, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 810-966-2575.”

The St. Clair County Emergency Operations Center is functioning as a centralized coordination of emergency resources to provide overall policy and guidance for strategic objectives related to the COVID-19 situation. Please follow reputable sources for information: