Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 20, 2021

CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected]

MDHHS recommends best practices to safely celebrate Halloween 

LANSING, Mich. – To keep Halloween a safe and fun holiday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is offering tips and tricks to keep loved ones safe and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“Because many of our young Michiganders are not yet eligible to be vaccinated, we urge everyone to take precautions to participate safely,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “There are still ways to celebrate safely, and the MDHHS guidance provides tips for trick-or-treaters and their parents along with homeowners who wish to pass out treats.”

Tips for all persons include getting the COVID-19 vaccine if you are eligible (ages 12 and over), staying home if you are sick, wearing a mask that covers both the mouth and nose, washing hands often and/or using hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol, and coughing or sneezing into your elbow.

MDHHS also strongly advises adults and children ages 6 months and over to get their annual flu vaccine. Flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be administered in the same visit.

Tips for trick-or-treaters and parents:

• • Talk with children about Halloween safety and expectations.
  • Stay outdoors for activities, particularly if participants are not vaccinated.
  • Trick or treat in small groups.
  • Avoid congregating in groups around houses.
  • If indoors or in crowded outdoor settings, wear a face mask covering both mouth and nose (a costume mask is not a substitute for a cloth mask).
  • Do not wear a costume mask over a protective cloth mask if wearing both causes difficulty breathing. Instead, consider using a Halloween-themed cloth mask.

Tips for homeowners to consider:

• Distribute candy on a table to eliminate direct contact.
• Consider handing out candy in an open space where distancing is possible, rather than from the front door.
• Consider a neighborhood costume parade; it is an easy way to keep safe space between children.

To maximize protection from COVID-19 and flu, we recommend age-eligible children and adults get vaccinated as soon as possible. To find a vaccine location near you, visit VaccineFinder.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 20, 2021

CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112, wheatonb@michigan.gov

October is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month in Michigan 

Average of 146 Michigan infants die every year due to unsafe sleep 

LANSING, Mich. – With an average of 146 sleep-related infant deaths per year in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared October Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month.

“As parents, grandparents and caregivers, it’s crucial for Michiganders to be aware of how to lay infants down to sleep in a safe environment,” Gov. Whitmer said. “This Safe Sleep Month, we must recommit ourselves to keeping infants safe as they sleep and working together to help them thrive as they grow up.”

Babies from birth to age 1 can be kept safe while sleeping at night and during naps when American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines are followed. Recommendations are to:

• Place baby on back, in a crib, bassinet or pack n’ play of their own with no other people for every sleep time.
• Use a firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet.
• Keep baby’s sleep space clutter-free – no pillows, blankets, or toys.
• Avoid covering baby’s head or overheating. Instead of a blanket, use a sleep sack, wearable blanket or footed sleeper to keep baby warm.
• Remind everyone, who cares for baby, including babysitters and family members, how to keep baby safe while sleeping.
• Keep baby in a smoke-free environment.
• Support breastfeeding and immunizations.

“The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) wants to educate all parents and caregivers about the importance of safe sleep. It can save your baby’s life,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive.

In the 10-year-period ending in 2019, Michigan lost 1,436 babies to sleep-related deaths, including 149 in 2019, the most recent year for which data is available.

“Safe sleep is always best,” said Carole Hittinger of Ypsilanti, a mother of two who volunteers on the state’s Infant Safe Sleep Action Committee and the Washtenaw County Safe Sleep Task Force. Her son, Jose Anthony, died at the age of 2 ½ months when he was entrapped in the blankets while co-sleeping.

“When you sleep with your child and you wake up the next morning and everyone’s OK, that’s you getting lucky,” Hittinger said. “At some point your luck is going to run out. Things can go so bad.”

In addition to following the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, MDHHS encourages parents to make sure their babies are sleeping in a safe product.

In the last few years, several infant products have been recalled because of infant deaths – inclined sleepers a few years ago and newborn lounger pillows just a few weeks ago.

To check for recalls, visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website at www.cpsc.gov. Anyone can sign up to get emails when products are recalled. Parents and caregivers should stop using any product that has been recalled. They can use the checklist Is this Infant Safe Sleep? to determine if a product is safe for infant sleep.

Parents can make sure unsafe products get taken off the market by reporting them to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“Michigan babies have died in unsafe products,” Bagdasarian said. “Just because a product is advertised and sold for infant use, that doesn’t mean it’s a safe place for infants to sleep. The Consumer Product Safety Commission can’t identify hazardous products unless the public reports them. Anyone can report a concern, whether it’s an injury, death, or a ‘near miss.’ It takes all of us to make sure babies are sleeping safely.”

To learn more about infant safe sleep, visit Michigan.gov/SafeSleep or contact the Infant Safe Sleep Program at MDHHS-InfantSafeSleep@michigan.gov. To view data related to sleep-related infant deaths, visit Keepingkidsalive.org/publications. Report unsafe products at www.saferproducts.gov.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 19, 2021

CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-214-2112, [email protected]

MDHHS urges residents to get flu vaccine during upcoming season

State sets goal of vaccinating 4 million Michiganders

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is urging Michiganders to get their flu vaccine as soon as possible to protect themselves and their communities from flu especially while continuing to battle COVID-19.

Getting a flu vaccine is critical this season because flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will likely be spreading simultaneously. Importantly, residents are able to get their COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as their flu vaccine. According to the CDC, those who are at higher risk for contracting flu are also at a higher risk for contracting COVID-19. Vaccinations for both COVID-19 and the flu are safe, effective strategies to protect ourselves and our communities from illness.

“I encourage every Michigander to get their flu shot as soon as possible to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Last year, 3.5 million Michiganders got flu shots, and this year, I know that we can meet MDHHS’s statewide goal by bringing that number up to 4 million. Over the last 18 months, we’ve all seen just how critical vaccines are to keeping people safe from disease, and I want to thank every Michigander who has received their COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot. I have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and received my flu shot last week, and I hope you do too.”

The flu vaccine is the best way to reduce risk from the seasonal flu and its potential serious complications. Each year flu vaccination reduces the burden of influenza significantly in the United States preventing millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations and deaths.

Last flu season, approximately 3.5 million people in Michigan received a flu vaccine as reported to the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR). The state has set a goal of vaccinating a total of 4 million Michiganders for the 2021-2022 flu season.

“Everyone aged 6 months and up is recommended to receive a flu vaccination with rare exceptions, and we encourage them to do so as soon as possible,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “There is an ample supply of flu vaccine available in many convenient locations from primary care providers to local pharmacies. We know these vaccines are safe and they protect vulnerable Michiganders.”

The 2020-2021 flu season was unique in many ways, resulting in historically low flu activity for the entire season. Public health professionals indicate that community mitigation measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic such as masking and social distancing and influenza vaccination could have contributed to the below average amount of influenza cases last season.

However, during a typical flu season like the 2019-2020 flu season, the nation recorded 39 to 56 million estimated cases of the flu, 18 to 26 million medical visits due to the flu and nearly half a million flu hospitalizations. Despite its comparison to the common cold, the flu is a very serious and potentially deadly disease, especially for children, older people and people with chronic health conditions.

Flu vaccines are available now at local health departments, physician offices and pharmacies around the state. Find a location near you using the Vaccine Finder. Visit Michigan.gov/flu for more information or visit IVaccinate.org to find answers to your vaccine questions.