Oakland County Health Division Expands Testing Sites

by Becky Andrus | Jan 10, 2022 | Regional News

Oakland County Health Division Expands Testing Sites Because of COVID-19 Surge

Pontiac, Michigan – Record numbers of COVID-19 cases are prompting Oakland County Health Division to expand COVID-19 drive-through testing beginning next week. To make an appointment, go to www.oakgov.com/COVID and click on the COVID Testing button or contact the Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533.

Drive-through testing will be available at the following locations:

Southfield Pavilion Parking Deck at 26000 Evergreen Rd. in Southfield from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays
Rochester Fire Department at 277 E. 2^nd in Rochester from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays
The former Pontiac Fire Station at 348 South Blvd. West in Pontiac from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Appointments are strongly encouraged. Same day drive-up appointments, however, will be available for those who are unable to schedule an appointment. Those who opt for same day drive-up appointments may experience extended wait times. The Southfield and Rochester locations will have signage directing drive-up appointments to the “No Appointment” entrance; Pontiac has only one lane. Drive-ups will not be accepted after 3:00 p.m.

Oakland County Health Division will also begin offering booster doses for 12- to 15-year-old children on Friday, Jan. 7 following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s approval of Pfizer booster doses for adolescents. The county also continues to administer pediatric, first, second, third, and other booster doses. Appointments remain available at OaklandCountyVaccine.com or by contacting the Nurse on Call at 800-848-5533.

COVID-19 transmission remains high in Oakland County. There were more than 21,000 confirmed and probable cases from Dec. 20 – Jan. 2, 59 percent of which were ages 39 years and younger. The seven-day average of daily cases in Oakland County was 1,800 cases per day as of Jan. 5, which exceeds all previous surges. The seven-day percent positivity rate for COVID-19 tests shot up to a high of 25.5 percent.

Most new cases statewide continue to be among the unvaccinated, according to the MI COVID Response Data and Modeling Update. From Jan. 15-Dec. 3, 85.1 percent of COVID-19 cases, 88.1 percent of hospitalizations, and 85.5 percent of deaths were among individuals not fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated persons in Michigan had 4.3 times the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 and 13.2 times the risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to fully vaccinated persons.

The following is an update on COVID-19 vaccine coverage for Oakland County residents, according to the State of Michigan COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard as of Jan. 4, 2022:

Total eligible residents 5 – 11 years old (pediatric dose): 98,739
- Number of residents 5 – 11 years old who have received first dose: 34,246
- Number of residents 5 – 11 years old who have completed vaccination: 24,870
- Vaccine coverage for residents 5 – 11 years old: 34.7 percent

Total eligible residents 12 years old and older: 1,091,389
- Number of residents 12 and older who have received first dose: 855,181
- Number of residents 12 and older who have completed vaccination: 783,048
- Vaccine coverage for residents 12 and older: 78.4 percent

Total eligible residents 16 years old and older: 1,029,737
- Number of residents 16 and older who have received first dose: 817,514
- Number of residents 16 and older who have completed vaccination: 748,473
- Vaccine coverage for residents 16 and older: 79.4 percent

Total eligible senior residents 65 years old and older: 217,676
- Number of senior residents who have received first dose: 201,744
- Number of senior residents who have completed vaccination: 186,097
- Vaccine coverage for senior residents: 92.7 percent
Total primary series doses administered within Oakland County: 1,632,395
Total third and booster doses administered in Oakland County: 346,463

Oakland County Encourages Home Radon Testing

by Becky Andrus | Jan 10, 2022 | Regional News

Oakland County Encourages Home Radon Testing During National Radon Action Month

Pontiac, Michigan – Take action to protect your health by testing your home for radon during National Radon Action Month. Visit Oakland County Health Division to purchase radon test kits for $5 – half-off full price – during the month of January.

“Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall,” said Leigh-Anne Stafford, director of Oakland County Health and Human Services. “Since you cannot see, smell, or taste radon, testing your home is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk of radon exposure.”

The Health Division recommends testing homes for radon gas during the winter months, since windows and doors typically remain closed during cooler temperatures allowing radon gas to collect inside and be more easily detected. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recommends radon testing every two years as homes settle and new cracks form in the foundation that may cause radon levels to change.

Radon test kits for homes are available for purchase at Health Division offices in Pontiac and Southfield:

North Oakland Health Center, 1200 N. Telegraph, Building 34E, Pontiac
South Oakland Health Center, 27725 Greenfield Road, Southfield

Hours are Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. To purchase more than 15 radon kits, please call 248-858-1312 to preorder. Note that Health Division offices will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 17th. After January, the cost of a radon test kit will return to $10.

Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is usually harmless outdoors. The gas can sometimes get into homes through cracks in floors or walls and can accumulate, becoming a health hazard. According to EGLE, approximately 30 percent of homes tested in Oakland County have had elevated levels of radon. The only way to know if your home has high radon levels is to test. If high levels of radon are found, contact the Health Division’s Environmental Health Services at 248-858-1312 in Pontiac or 248-424-7191 in Southfield.

Visit www.epa.gov/radon or www.oakgov.com/health for more information, or contact Nurse on Call, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, at 800-848-5533 or [email protected]. For up-to-date public health information, follow @publichealthOC on Facebook and Twitter.

Local Scouting district celebrates first female Eagle Scout

by Becky Andrus | Jan 10, 2022 | Feature Writers, Scouting

By Meredith Foss:

Local Scouting district celebrates first female Eagle Scout

Brooke Muzzy, 18, has become the first female Eagle Scout in Scouting’s local Pontiac-Manito District.

Muzzy grew up with the Scouting movement even before she joined as a member. Muzzy watched, participated and learned alongside her brothers as they grew from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, and Brooke was growing too. She started off by joining Crew 2128, a co-ed Scouting program dedicated to high adventure activities. In 2019, when girls were finally able to join the Boy Scouts of America’s traditional programs, she decided to join Scouts BSA Troop 185 with other girls who wanted to try out Scouting.

“Much like Dorothy needs the friends she finds as she followed the yellow brick road, a scout needs friends to help as they follow the trail to eagle,” Muzzy said. “Your parents, friends, and scout leaders will be the people you find along your trail through Scouting.”

Through Scouting Muzzy has been on many adventures, a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico being one of the most memorable. Philmont is a high adventure camp where scouts backpack hundreds of miles through the mountains. She was even selected to be crew leader for the expedition.

Brooke learned to become a great leader, as she was elected Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 185. She attended National Youth Leadership Training, a week long course teaching scouts how to become better leaders for their units, and she was selected to teach on staff the following year.

Muzzy started to plan an Eagle Project to benefit the community during summer of 2021. Muzzy faced a few challenges along the way, but successfully completed her Eagle project, clearing brush and invasive plants along a section of trail and building two permanent benches at Camp Agawam.

Brooke had her Eagle Court of Honor last Sunday at D-Bar-A Scout Ranch, surrounded by Scouting friends and family celebrating her achievements. Muzzy chose to thank several adult volunteers who helped her along the way, gifting commemorative mentor pins to Troop 185 Assistant Scoutmaster Lynn Foss, Committee Chair Jeff Egner, Scoutmaster Wayne Beutler and Pack 7 Cubmaster David Weatherwax.

“Not only has it been an honor to watch Brooke grow as a leader, it was also an honor to receive a mentor pin from her,” Lynn Foss said. “I look forward to her realizing that she can achieve any goal she sets her mind on.”

Meredith Foss, 14, is a youth journalist with the Scouting on Air television program.

Michigan receives supply of new oral COVID-19 medications

by Becky Andrus | Jan 10, 2022 | Health and Wellness

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 6, 2022

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michian.gov

State of Michigan receives initial limited supply
of new oral COVID-19 medications
MDHHS issues eligibility criteria and prescribing requirements to reach
those most at-risk; continues to urge vaccination and boosters

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan has received its first shipment of new oral medications to treat COVID-19, paxlovid and molnupiravir, following the recent emergency use authorization by the FDA.

These antivirals are designed for the outpatient treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19. Both medications may only be prescribed for a patient by physicians, advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants.

When administered to non-hospitalized patients within five days of symptom onset, these antivirals may reduce symptoms and the risk of hospitalizations and emergency room visits associated with the virus.

Due to the limited quantity of these drugs, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has developed eligibility criteria and prescribing requirements for the antivirals.

“The authorization of these new medications provides another important tool to help fight the virus,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “Due to limited availability of these antivirals, health care providers will need to determine the best course of treatment for their patients based on eligibility criteria. We ask Michiganders to be patient as providers will prioritize people at highest risk for developing serious illness from the virus. We are committed to distributing these pills equitably across the state, and access will increase as Michigan receives more allocations from the federal government.”

Priority Eligibility Criteria for therapeutics, including antiviral medication and monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb), will remain in effect until supply is able to meet demand and will be periodically reviewed as appropriate.

MDHHS continues to strongly recommend getting vaccinated and boosted for the best protection against the virus.

“It’s important to remember these drugs are not a substitution for protecting yourself by getting vaccinated and wearing a mask in public places,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “Getting vaccinated continues to be the best protection against severe illness and hospitalization, and we urge all Michiganders over age 5 to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Continue to wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth, test and social distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19, avoid large gatherings and get vaccinated and boosted if you haven’t already.”

Treatment with mAb continues to be an important therapy for mild to moderate COVID-19 infection and is preferred over treatment with molnupiravir whenever it can be readily accessed. Based on current evidence, mAb therapy is also a comparable alternative to paxlovid for patients who do not have access to the oral medication, have contraindications to the medication (e.g., pregnancy), or are beyond five days (but within 10 days) of symptom onset. Treatment with mAb should be considered for patients who are in eligible lower risk tiers in the Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Paxlovid is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in patients 12 years of age and older who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and who meet the current Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Paxlovid currently has limited availability through the following sites:

Selected Federally Qualified Health Centers and Tribal Health Centers.
Selected Meijer Pharmacies in southeast and east central Michigan.

Molnupiravir is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults ages 18 and older who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death, and only when alternative COVID-19 treatment options authorized by FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate and who meet the current Priority Eligibility Criteria.

Molnupiravir currently has limited availability through the following sites:

All Meijer Pharmacies (based on supply).
Selected retail pharmacies in areas not served by Meijer (based on supply).

Additional information on oral antiviral medications and monoclonal antibody therapy, including priority eligibility criteria based on MDHHS scare resource allocation principles is available at Michigan.gov/COVIDTherapy.

Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.

What the heck is an aerial mobility corridor?

by Becky Andrus | Jan 10, 2022 | Transportation

What the heck is an aerial mobility corridor?

This week, in the wake of an announcement about a first-of-its-kind cross-border initiative to test the feasibility of commercial drone use, Bryan Budds, deputy administrator of the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Office of Aeronautics, explains the project.

Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/9846119-what-the-heck-is-an-aerial-mobility-corridor

Wednesday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan and Ontario are collaborating on a technology initiative involving unmanned aerial systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones. This effort involves studying the feasibility of a commercial drone skyway in three proposed areas, including an international connection between Michigan and Ontario, southeast Michigan, and any other suitable location in the state.

The effort is a partnership between MDOT, Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, and Ontario government agencies.

Calling it a “highway in the sky,” Budds talks about myriad opportunities to explore the future of drone technology and what it could mean to commerce and the delivery of goods. He also discusses the challenging questions facing regulators as they work to balance privacy, security, safety, and innovation.

Budds also talks about how this initiative follows on other cross-border collaboration between the governments of Michigan and Ontario for demonstrations involving automated vehicles.