COVID-19 Community Update Thursday 4_9_2020

Stay Home Oder Extended and Restrictions Added for Travel & Shopping

Confirmed COVID-19 cases as of April 9th at 5:00 PM are as follows:

  • State of Michigan: 21,504 confirmed cases; 1,076 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 162 confirmed cases; 4 county resident deaths (There was also 1 death in a county hospital of an out-of-county resident)
  • Ontario: 5,759 confirmed cases; 200 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 98 confirmed cases; 9 deaths

Governor Whitmer extended the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order through April 30th and made a few changes.  To enable critical workers to get to their workplaces, automobile dealerships will now be allowed to open for remote sales, though showrooms must remain closed. 

Under the new order, all public and private gatherings among persons outside a single household remain temporarily prohibited. Though Michiganders may leave the house to get groceries or needed supplies, the new order encourages people to limit the number of household members running errands to the maximum extent possible. As before, people may engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, or any other recreational activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside a person’s household and with other restrictions imposed by prior executive orders. The order clarifies, however, that travel for vacations or for any other purpose is prohibited.

A new section of the order imposes restrictions on stores in an effort to reduce crowds. Large stores must limit the number of people in the store at one time to no more than 4 customers for every 1,000 square feet of customer floor space; small stores must limit capacity to 25% of the total occupancy limits (including employees) under the fire codes. To regulate entry, stores must establish lines with markings for patrons to enable them to stand at least six feet apart from one another while waiting. Large stores must also close areas of the store that are dedicated to carpeting, flooring, furniture, garden centers, plant nurseries, or paint. 

The City of Sarnia encourages families to stick to the directives on social distancing even through this holiday weekend. They acknowledge that these are difficult and unusual times, but they urge everyone to continue observing proper hygiene practices and physical distancing.

The Joint Information Center offers these tips for practicing preventive measures such as household cleaning. Simple steps, such as cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces (e.g. tables, doorknobs, light switches, faucets, countertops, and electronics) on a daily basis. Use soap and water, followed by a disinfectant, using the directions on the label. Many disinfectants need to be left on the surface for a few minutes before being wiped dry. Diluted bleach water (five tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water) is effective against coronaviruses if left on the surface for more than one minute. For more information visit: www.cdc.gov

Please continue to reputable sources for information on COVID-19:

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

Options for Michiganders Who Lose Healthcare Coverage

Michiganders who lose a job, resulting in a loss of their healthcare coverage or a change in income, may have low or no-cost healthcare options available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  Consumers in these situations are not required to wait for the yearly Open Enrollment Period and should act now.

“Michiganders who lose employer-based health insurance may have options to continue or replace their coverage,” said DIFS Director Anita G. Fox. “If consumers have questions about enrolling, DIFS is available to assist.”

Consumers have 60 days after losing essential health coverage, such as through a job loss, or experienced a change in income to take advantage of a Special Enrollment Period. To determine eligibility, consumers should visit www.healthcare.gov. Depending on income and their situation, consumers may qualify for cost sharing reductions, premium tax credits, coverage for their children (CHIP), or Medicaid. Consumers should contact DIFS toll free at 877-999-6442 if they need assistance.

Act now and apply

Enrollment help is available 

Submitted by the State of Michigan Emergency Operations Center

United Way of St. Clair County Food Trucks

Organizations Collaborate to Connect Residents with Food Resources

Nonprofits, school districts, churches, restaurants, and government agencies are working together to make sure no area resident goes without food during this pandemic. There are a variety of opportunities to find relief for your grocery budget: food pantries inside schools and churches, mobile pantries offering drive-thru service, school lunch programs, and generous restaurant owners handing out free lunches.

Several local organizations are providing maps and listings of food giveaways to help connect residents with resources. It is recommended that you check with the organization before showing up for clarification of hours and processes by visiting their website, Facebook page, or phone.

Here is a list of local resources for food distributions:

Council on Aging Serving St. Clair County: http://www.thecouncilonaging.org/

Food Bank of Eastern Michigan: https://www.fbem.org/where-to-get-food/find-a-food-pantry/

Operation Transformation: https://www.optrans.org/fooddistribution

Port Huron Area Schools Meet Up & Eat Up Lunch Program: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wv1ZXfAQlgbFtepoWS_3Quhi2s8G_VA5/view

The Inn of the Good Shepherd Sarnia: https://www.theinnsarnia.ca/programs/#foodbank

United Way of St. Clair County and Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, in partnership with Blue Water Community Action and Port Huron Schools, are bringing three food trucks to St. Clair County.  Pop Up Pantries will provide free cartons of food with drive-thru service. 

  • April 14th @ noon 
  • April 28th @ noon
  • May 5th @ noon

United Way of St. Clair County: https://www.uwstclair.org/HelpMe

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

 

Protection for Nonprofits in CARES Acts

Nonprofits are deeply concerned about the impact of their ability to carry out their mission and raise money during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is some help for the nonprofit community in the new CARES Act.

Nonprofits can apply for payroll protection loans of up to 2 1/2 times their average month payroll expenses. These loans can be forgiven if certain criteria is met. The CARES Act also lifts certain limitations on charitable contributions by individuals who itemize and by corporations. The CARES Act includes a specific section allowing nonprofits to be reimbursed for half of the costs incurred through paying unemployment benefits, including self-funded unemployment benefits.

If all this is a bit complicated, Randy Maiers, CEO of the Community Foundation of St. Clair County, told WGRT that he encourages our nonprofit partners “to take advantage of our small town relationships, and reach out to local CPA firms, financial planners, or even larger nonprofit organizations that may have the internal capacity to offer advice and input.”  He also expressed, “These are incredibly challenging times for everyone, but our region has a spirit of helping each other out.”

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

Fines for Noncompliance Increase, Citizens Respect Executive Order

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued an emergency order Thursday, April 2, 2020, increasing fines to $1,000 for not complying with executive orders that ban gatherings and non-essential business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Along with the $1,000 fine, the state health department said violators could also be reviewed by any state licensing agency and that licensing agency could also apply a penalty.  “A person can have coronavirus without knowing it,” Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon said in a written announcement on the fines. “They can spread the disease to others who can spread it to others. The only way to stop the spread is social distancing. A civil penalty and potential licensing actions send a strong message to Michiganders that social distancing is essential to saving lives.” The health department said places of religious worship were exempt from the emergency rules, but only when used for religious worship.

WGRT spoke with St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon who said that residents can call dispatch to report concerns about executive order violations. They will address violations with the goal of education first and then enforcement. He explained that these violations are 90 day misdemeanors with a fine, and he would hope citizens would prefer to comply rather than go to jail during the pandemic. When asked how the community is doing with compliance, Donnellon said, “We have had very little problem in St. Clair County from our citizens.”

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

COVID-19 Community Update Wednesday 4_8_2020

Options for Getting Outdoors in the Blue Water Area

The Stay Home, Stay Safe order requires residents to stay home unless they are part of the essential workforce, performing a necessary task for the health and safety of their family like grocery shopping, or doing an outdoor activity like walking or biking for exercise. Now that the weather is warming up, getting outdoors may be a welcome relief for those who are growing weary of social distancing.

In Michigan, all state parks, trails, boat launches, and other public lands remain open with certain provisions affecting visitor services in place. Any group activity centers, DNR visitor centers, and customer service centers operated by the DNR are currently closed, along with park amenities including bathrooms and hand washing stations. The Michigan DNR is asking all park and trail users to stay local and not travel far for outdoor recreation. Effective social distancing is required so unsafe conditions don’t require state-managed lands to close.

Listeners in Sarnia still have access to the boat launch at Centennial Park for outdoor recreation. Those who take advantage of that option should limit the members of their boat to inhabitants of the same household, and follow social distancing requirements.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases as of April 8th at 5:00 PM are as follows:

  • State of Michigan: 20,346 confirmed cases; 959 deaths
  • St. Clair County: 140 confirmed cases; 3 county resident deaths (There was also 1 death in a county hospital of an out-of-county resident)
  • Ontario: 5,276 confirmed cases; 174 deaths
  • Sarnia-Lambton: 87 confirmed cases; 8 deaths

Please continue to reputable sources for information on COVID-19:

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand