A new website launched by the Province of Ontario, Canada, is designed to help businesses overcome the unique challenges created by this pandemic. Businesses are encouraged to submit any potential roadblocks they are facing, or learning how to continue operations while implementing social distancing.

Ontario Premier Ford in a statement said, “As [a] government, we must be prepared to work with businesses and show some flexibility in helping them to overcome challenges they may have never faced before.” The provincial government is hoping this website will help them to hear the issues small businesses in Ontario are facing, so they can help them adapt in these changing times.

Some steps already taken to help small businesses include: providing $10 billion in provincial tax deferrals, providing more than $900 million in urgent relief to small businesses, and providing $50 million to help manufacturers and distilleries retool, so they can produce health-related products and supplies. The province has also been permitting 24-hour construction for critical infrastructure, 24-hour deliveries in every municipality across the province to help grocery stores and pharmacies keep shelves stocked, and allowing restaurants and bars to sell alcohol with food takeout and delivery.

On Monday, following advice from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, certain businesses and workplaces may reopen as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely. Additional details are available on the Province of Ontario’s website <HERE>

To visit the website, Google COVID-19 Tackling the Barriers or click <HERE>.

There are four critical, essential steps in preventing the spread of disease: testing, isolation, contact tracing and quarantine. If any steps are missing, a virus can continue to spread. Public health uses this process in all communicable disease outbreak investigations, including COVID-19.

The St. Clair County Health Department has been continuously working on controlling community spread of COVID-19 through the contact tracing process. Public health nurses contact every individual with a confirmed COVID-19 result, interview them, assess symptoms, document where they have been, and identify any close contacts. Close contacts of a confirmed case are considered high risk and are also notified directly. This process is critical in helping control a disease outbreak situation.

Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer, of the St. Clair County Health Department explains, “This work is time consuming, demanding and has been a 7 day a week process since St. Clair County’s first case in early March. Since March, over 3,100 hours of St. Clair County Health Department staff’s time has been spent on contact tracing for COVID-19, utilizing 80% of our nursing team.  This is four times greater than the normal amount of hours spent on routine communicable disease investigations.”

Additionally, the Health Department is asking for the public’s help in answering their phones and returning voicemails left by our staff. Typically, many people who don’t recognize a number ignore the call. During this pandemic, we ask that you please answer, as it may be our staff reaching out with critical health information.

Below are some tips to help identify legitimate calls involving COVID-19:

The St. Clair County Health Department will NOT:

• Request personal financial information, a social security number or driver’s license number
• Ask for Medicaid or other insurance information for billing purposes
• Offer medication for treatment or prevention of COVID-19

The St. Clair County Health Department WILL ask about:

• Current health status
• Symptoms an individual may be experiencing
• Names of close contacts
• Places someone may have visited in recent days
• Other health-related questions

If an individual has concerns about a call they received, please contact the St. Clair County Health Department at (810) 987-5300.

The Michigan Senate approved a resolution asking the governor to revise her executive order to allow hospitals and health care facilities to resume elective procedures.  The executive order, which took effect March 21, required hospitals, freestanding surgical outpatient facilities, dental facilities, and all state-operated outpatient facilities to postpone all nonessential procedures.

More than 12 states with similar executive restrictions have since relaxed those restrictions and deemed it safe for health care providers to resume elective procedures. Republican State Senator Dan Lauwers issued a statement that said, “With the proper precautions, doctors, nurses and other health care workers can safely provide many necessary procedures, and they should be allowed to do so.” He further stated that, “The governor is unnecessarily causing undue pain and hardship for thousands of Michiganders.”

McLaren Port Huron just announced that they are resuming diagnostic testing and some surgical procedures. Medical providers can begin scheduling time-sensitive surgeries now, and patients can begin receiving x-rays, CT Scans, mammograms, and other lab work that has been delayed.

All local hospitals continue to assure the public that they are taking several important measures to ensure the safety of their patients and isolate COVID-19 patients. They’ve also expressly recommended that people experiencing medical emergencies like the symptoms of heart attack and stroke do not postpone seeking medical treatment at the ER.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

As we continue to examine the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis, the media has also experienced its share of troubles. As businesses close and cut back, advertising revenue has also declined. The decline in advertising has hit every media sector including  print, TV, digital, radio, and outdoor advertising.

As advertisers slash budgets, they are often canceling or reducing ad campaigns. Some of the reasons are obvious. Planes are not flying. Hotels are empty. Movie theaters are shuttered. Casinos are closed. Also, many small and medium-size businesses are closed or struggling to stay solvent.

On the other hand, consumption of media has dramatically increased as people stay home and spend a considerable amount of time watching TV, listening to the radio, and using social media platforms like Facebook. The newspaper industry which has been especially hard hit over the past few years, faces the most serious crisis.  

The Wall Street Journal recently reported  that 80% of newspapers in circulation are disqualified from government aid because of the way their companies are structured, and it may negatively affect their ability to survive the decline in advertising.

Local media companies are continuing to do what they’ve always done in times like these: support their customers, provide meaningful content for their audiences, and look for innovative ways to stay in business.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

The Annual Michigan Charter School Day usually brings hundreds of charter school supporters and participants to Lansing in May. Supporters rally together to celebrate the diversity, innovation, passion and success that Michigan’s charter schools offer students across the state. Also, during the event, informational meetings are held with various legislators and officials.

This year, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is going 100% virtual. The event will be held on May 13th and will begin with a live Facebook broadcast hosted by the Michigan Association of Public School Academies. The association president, Dan Quisenberry, will kick off  the event with comments intended to celebrate the charter school movement.

The Michigan State Legislature approved Michigan’s charter school law in 1993. Charter schools are free, independently-operated public schools. Currently there are 300 charter schools in Michigan serving over 150,000 students. St. Clair County has three charter schools: East Shore Leadership Academy, Landmark Academy, and the St Clair County Intervention Academy which are all in the greater Port Huron Area.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn

If you’re wondering how the coronavirus crisis is impacting the economy, one view is to examine what products consumers are purchasing and which ones are in decline. A recent study of consumer online purchasing habits provided an interesting perspective.

There are some obvious winners; for example, rubber glove sales are up 670%.  Other products selling well are soups, packaged food, fruit cups, and milk. However, some consumer products are not faring as well. Sales of luggage is down 77%, while bridal clothing is down 63%. Swimwear and camera sales have dropped 60% and 64% respectively. Auto dealers experienced their worst sales records for decades last month, with Toyota reporting a 54% drop in April.

There have been a few surprises in all of this. Home bread machines have experienced a resurgence in popularity with their sales increasing 652%. Consequently, baker’s yeast has been one of the most sought after commodities at supermarkets. Sales of chest freezers have soared with many retailers selling out and placing items on back order. Walmart even reports an increase in the sales of tops (not bottoms) as an increase in virtual meetings has people improving only half their wardrobe.

Reporting for WGRT – Marty Doorn