(WXYZ) — As the state takes precautions amid a growing coronavirus outbreak in the United States, officials in the State of Michigan – where two cases were recently confirmed – are urging the public to take steps to help stop the spread of the virus.
RELATED: Officials urge practice of 'social distancing' amid coronavirus pandemic
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addressed the state in a press conference Wednesday. She provided an update to the latest developments on the virus after two presumptive positive cases were confirmed in two people in the state on Tuesday.
“I urge all Michiganders to take these recommendations seriously and to share them with their friends, families, and coworkers,” Whitmer said. “It’s on all of us to be safe and be smart for ourselves, our loved ones, our coworkers, and the public at large. We are encouraging schools, universities, businesses, and other organizations to use their best judgment about what steps are most appropriate to keep people safe and slow the spread of the disease.”
The state has a website set up specifically for COVID-19 and is at Michigan.gov/coronavirus.
This strategy is intended to protect individuals at risk of severe illness and to health care and other critical infrastructure workforces, Whitmer's office said.
Following Whitmer's press conference, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan held a press conference discussing the city's response to COVID-19, also known as coronavirus. Duggan said that although there is one confirmed case in Wayne County, that person is not a resident in the city of Detroit.
On March 10, on the evening of the Michigan Presidential Primary, Whitmer announced the first two confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state. The virus was found in a woman from Oakland County and a man from Wayne County, according to health officials.
Duggan was joined by the City of Detroit Health Department and the Wayne County and state health departments.
The mayor outlined plans to minimize spread of the virus, which includes partially activating the city's Emergency Operations Center to monitor COVID-19. Large public events are being reviewed for possible cancellation. Duggan announced during the press conference that the city's St. Patrick's Day parade has been canceled in response to the health crisis.
Additional guidelines for the City of Detroit are below:
Guidelines for anyone hosting large community events
Share health messages and materials provided by credible public health sources such as those from the CDC that are attached to this email to encourage your event staff and participants to practice good personal health habits.
Provide COVID-19 supplies at your events. Plan to have extra supplies on hand for event staff and participants, including sinks with soap, hand sanitizers, and tissues.
Promote messages that discourage people who are sick from attending events. This should include messages requesting that people leave events if they begin to have symptoms of COVID-19. They should seek medical advice promptly by calling ahead to a doctor’s office or emergency room to get guidance.
Identify actions to take if you need to postpone or cancel events. Work closely with the Detroit Health Department to assess local capacities in the area. If possible, plan alternative ways for participants to enjoy the events by television radio, or online.
More information can be found here [lnks.gd].
Public use of City facilities
Individuals experiencing a fever or coughing are asked to not visit city offices until their symptoms have passed. If an individual visiting a city facility is exhibiting these symptoms, they may be approached by medical staff
City Employees – general precautions
Employees who are ill, and exhibit symptoms are asked to seek the professional services of a health care provider and notify their immediate supervisor of absence as soon as possible. The symptoms are, acute respiratory illness (consistent coughing), shortness of breath, and fever of 100 degrees or greater.
All employees who have been in contact with a person who has been exposed to COVID-19 are to contact the Detroit Health Department immediately for guidance, notify their supervisor and do not report to work unless directed.
City Employees who report to work with symptoms
If an employee reports to work with concerns of COVID-19, a supervisor will contact a member of a medical response team to have the employee assessed. An internal hotline number has been established and will be manned 24 hours each day until the Pandemic is over.
Until the arrival of the medical staff, the employee should be isolated from the work area or close proximity of other workers.
Upon the conclusion of the assessment employees may be instructed to report to or transported to a healthcare provide for continued testing and follow-up
Work Location Signage and Preparation
Ensure that employees are cleaning their work area with disinfectant at least twice during the work day.
Janitorial staff will be instructed to focus on high touch points, such as water fountains, door knobs, commonly used counters, sinks and cabinets
Ensure that city owned vehicles have disinfectant wipes available for employees to wipe the steering wheels and gear selectors before and after use.
Place the provided signs conspicuously in all areas, including break rooms, rest rooms, work stations, and public gathering rooms and service areas
RELATED: World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic
To slow the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan, following are some of the mitigation strategies are being recommended. Additional recommendations are included in the attached document.
- Learn about the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, which include fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
- STAY HOME WHEN YOU ARE SICK, and Individuals at risk of severe illness should consider staying at home to avoid others who are sick.
- Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, keyboards, cell phones and light switches.
- Communicate and reinforce best practices for washing hands and covering coughs and sneezes.
- Be sure to maintain a supply of medications, food, and other essentials in your house.
- Cancel or postpone large gatherings, conferences and sporting events (e.g. events with over 100 people).
- Reduce in-person gatherings and activities, especially for organizations with individuals at risk of severe illness. Consider offering video or audio of events.
- Consider tele-learning or tele-work opportunities, where feasible.
- Limit non-essential work travel.
- If you care for a loved one living in a care facility, monitor the situation, ask about the health of the other residents frequently, and know the protocol if there is an outbreak.
- Limit visitors at hospitals and other facilities to only those who are absolutely necessary and implement screening of visitors for temperature and respiratory symptoms.
