The League has launched a webpage to provide our membership with resources and information for local governments to address the COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Additionally, we are providing members with the CDC’s Weekly Report on the Coronavirus from the Michigan Association for Local Public Health.

This week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services activated the Community Health Emergency Coordination Center, and they have been working diligently with local health departments, health systems, and medical providers to make sure appropriate screening and preparations for COVID-19 are being made.

On Friday, February 28th, Governor Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center to maximize coordination with state, local and federal agencies, as well as private partners, and to help prevent the spread of the disease. Since then, the administration has been working with schools, businesses, medical providers, and local health departments to make sure they have the information they need to prepare for potential cases.  MDHHS also launched a campaign to raise awareness of appropriate hand washing techniques to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

COVID-19 has been identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan City in the Hubei Province of China. As of March 3rd, there were over 91,313 cases globally, with over 3,000 deaths. There are at least 10 states reporting cases of the disease, with at least 2 deaths. Person-to-person spread of the virus has occurred in the U.S., with some of those occurring in people with no travel history and no known source of exposure.

Governor Whitmer has announced the creation of four task forces to combat the spread of coronavirus and assess the impact it may have in Michigan. Task forces include:

• • The COVID-19 Task Force on State Operations, covering all aspects of state operations, including employment and facilities;
  • The COVID-19 Task Force on Health and Human Services, covering the provision of medical and human services, including protecting the healthcare workforce;
  • The COVID-19 Task Force on Education, covering K-12 public schools and universities and colleges; and
  • The COVID-19 Task Force on Economy/Workforce, covering general economic impact, workforce, supply chain, business continuity, and related issues.

Stay tuned for information from the League on an upcoming webinar for our members addressing best practices for COVID-19 emergency response.

Review the MDHHS press release on the Coronavirus below:

pr_coronavirus_task_force_eb_030220.pdf

Herasanna Richards is a legislative associate handling energy, environmental, elections, and external municipal services for the League. She can be reached at [email protected] or 517-908-0309.