by Becky Andrus | Dec 15, 2020 | Regional News
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 15, 2020
CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112, wheatonb@michigan.gov
New online tool allows Michiganders to learn their risk of COVID-19
MDHHS Aging & Adult Services launches service with older adults in mind
LANSING, Mich. – The Aging and Adult Services Agency at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced the launch of CV19 CheckUp in Michigan – a free, anonymous, personalized online tool that evaluates someone’s risks associated with COVID-19
The service is in partnership with BellAge, Inc. and can be used by going to Michigan.CV19Checkup.org.
“This tool, which we will make available to all Michiganders, helps individuals understand their risk based on their life situation and personal behavior, and offers recommendations to reduce those risks while also connecting people to services if needed,” said Dr. Alexis Travis, senior deputy director of the Aging & Adult Services Agency. “And while this tool is available to all residents, it is specifically designed with older adults – age 60 and over – in mind. Older Michiganders represent 24 percent of confirmed COVID-19 cases and 89 percent of confirmed deaths. We are dedicated to keeping aging adults safe and healthy and believe this tool will help older adults stay safer and healthier as cases continue to grow.”
BellAge developed the tool to help people be safer and healthier, and ensure their individual needs are met during the pandemic. CV19 CheckUp fills a critical need for a comprehensive resource that educates, advises and empowers people to protect themselves from COVID-19.
CV19 CheckUp uses artificial intelligence to analyze data each person provides by completing an online questionnaire. It is designed for those who are considered high risk, including older adults, low-income people, ethnic and racial minorities, and LGBTQ communities. The tool’s algorithms are driven by science and medicine, using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It is anonymous and does not require a name, email address or identifier of any type.
Upon completion of the anonymous questionnaire, CV19 CheckUp immediately delivers a personalized report. The report answers questions such as:
- How likely am I to get COVID-19 or spread it to others?
- If I get COVID-19, how severe would it likely be?
- Where can I find help to ensure my needs are met during the pandemic?
The individualized approach that defines CV19 CheckUp delivers much-needed support to those who are hardest hit by COVID-19, including the more than 2.4 million Michiganders age 60 and older, as well as those with underlying health conditions and/or compromised immune systems. The CDC has described these people as being at higher risk of severe or fatal consequences if they are infected with COVID-19.
CV19 CheckUp is easy to use and assesses each person’s unique situation, presenting options to help reduce risk and enhance quality of life.
“CV19 CheckUp was developed to fill an urgent public need,” said Jim Firman, chief innovation officer, BellAge, Inc. “Our team realized that although there are many resources with information about the virus, all of them require a lot of effort by the user. The average person has to spend considerable time on numerous websites, digging through pages of information looking for answers that are relevant to their specific situation. CV19 CheckUp does the work for them. We developed a hyper-personalized tool that makes it easy for anyone to understand their level of risk and take steps to reduce those risks.”
In addition, through CV19 CheckUp, governments and health organizations also receive data that helps facilitate developing methods to target populations that are at high risk for COVID-19. Data are completely anonymous, and findings can be used to gain insights on:
- What people know and believe about the pandemic.
- Compliance levels with recommended safety protocols.
- Behaviors by location, race, ethnicity, economic status, etc.
- Unmet needs for health care, social services, financial support.
This project is funded in part by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.
by Becky Andrus | Dec 14, 2020 | Feature Writers
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Monday, December 14, 2020
Why Everyone Making the Football Playoffs is a Good Thing.
Written Monday December 14th at 2:00 PM
Why everyone making the playoffs is a good thing.
In other sports everyone makes the playoffs. In football it was done this season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Could this be the norm???
This pandemic playoff format where everyone makes the playoffs has been a success. This is something that the MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl and the MHSAA Representative Council need to seriously look at.
You had some great and intriguing matchups in the postseason that no one would had thought off like Lake Orion/Grand Blanc, West Bloomfield/Sterling Heights Stevenson, Stoney Creek/Chippewa Valley etc.
Oak Park would have not made the playoffs under the old format which is based on strength of schedule and playoff points. In 2019, you needed six wins to make the playoffs. The Knights went 0-6 this season but right now they would be still playing if not for this pause.
How it would work is that everyone plays eight games and expand the playoffs like this year. It would create very interesting storylines.
There are coaches and some fans that are against this model because it rewards bad teams and that everyone makes the postseason. On the flip side if you have played a brutal schedule and don’t have a winning record and you see a team that has an easier schedule make the playoffs then you’ll be up at arms.
OAA 2017 rings that bell.
As a former player and current blogger and podcaster I think this is an awesome format to look at in the future and it creates surprising matchups and teams like we have seen in this postseason.
The pandemic playoff format tells where several schools particularly in the OAA have to be in the conversation.
We know about West Bloomfield, Lake Orion, Clarkston, Oxford, Adams, Oak Park, Southfield Arts and Tech, Groves, Seaholm, North Farmington, Farmington, and Stoney Creek. They have been there and done that. They have won State titles or have had deep playoff runs but there are several schools that have been underachieving programs that could use this experience to reshape their brand.
For teams that were in the Blue this season, it pretty much tells the whole story.
Rochester was the division champ going unbeaten for the first time since 1991 but they were blown out by Adams. Avondale lost to Groves. Troy Athens was blown out by Southfield Arts and Tech. Those three schools lost to OAA schools that were either in the Red or in the White which of course is much tougher competition all in the first round. Ferndale lost to Detroit Renaissance which I’ll mention below about them because their problem seems to be out of league. Pontiac was blown out which I also mention below. Troy and Berkley both won their first round games over Bloomfield Hills and Royal Oak respectably but were blown out by West Bloomfield and Warren Mott in the district semifinals.
Ferndale is the perfect example of a program needing this pandemic playoff format. The Eagles have the smallest enrollment in the OAA but they have a Co-Op program with Ferndale University which puts them in Division Two for the postseason. My biggest issue with Ferndale is that the Eagles have proven they are a league contender in the Blue but it’s when they go out of the OAA and face bigger schools like Detroit Renaissance this is where they struggle. This is something that Coach Eric Royal needs to address this offseason, it’s not the in league but the out of league they need to address.
I was very happy for Pontiac and their student athletes. A football program that has had a very difficult nine years (5-72 since.) Let’s be fair the Phoenix are the only Division Three school in the OAA. For them to experience what it’s like in the postseason is a huge accomplishment. Pontiac had to go to Bay City and got blown out 64-0 by Bay City Central in the first round. The league seriously need to help Pontiac big time especially with what they have been going through maybe give them some open dates not have them go through that gauntlet. I wrote a separate column surrounding this issue.
Should teams be rewarded for the tough schedules they play sure but it’s up to those teams as mentioned in the Blue that need to step up and show results.
At the end of the day this pandemic format gave everyone a chance to play. Should the MHSAA and the Representative Council make this permanent it would be very interesting. It could create a Cinderella story and it gives teams a fresh start from the regular season and into the postseason.
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 10:50 AM
by Becky Andrus | Dec 14, 2020 | Feature Writers
Covering all 22 OAA teams with insight and thoughts on each team from Northern Oakland County to Southern Oakland County.
Monday, December 14, 2020
It’s time for the OAA to help Pontiac Football.
Written Monday December 14th at 2:00 PM
It’s time to help Pontiac Football out.
It has been a rough ride for the Phoenix and Athletic Director Lee Montgomery and Coach Charles White.
Pontiac has had to go through numerous coaching changes. Uncertainties regarding their program. State intervention, you name it.
The Phoenix are 5-72 since 2011. 2011 was the last time they made the playoffs. They are 3-20 combined against Avondale, Berkley, and Ferndale. If you include Royal Oak its 5-25.
Pontiac did make the playoffs this season as part of the pandemic postseason. They were in Division Three and played Bay City Central where they were blown out 64-0.
Should the league allow the Phoenix to go out of league and find more open dates???
It would help them with their confidence and develop their program.
Pontiac has had a ton of problems with a lot of things out of their control. Playing in the OAA has some advantages but every week they are playing a tough opponent and are getting blown out in each game.
That impacts player confidence.
I know it takes time to develop a program but if the league can help the Phoenix out by giving them open dates so they can find winnable games, it would go a long way to building their program back up so they can be at a better position where they can compete in the OAA.
This is not a knock on their players, staff, athletic department, and program. They are working really hard and getting better each day.
Help from the league would go a long way to help them move forward.
Posted by Saginaw Bay at 10:46 AM
by Becky Andrus | Dec 14, 2020 | Health and Wellness, Regional News
Oakland County Installs 10 Extreme Temperature Freezers In Anticipation Of Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine
Pontiac, Michigan – The Oakland County Health Division today received and installed 10 medical grade laboratory freezers which are equipped to handle extreme temperatures in anticipation of receiving its first allotments of the COVID-19 vaccine soon.
The freezers were installed in various health division facilities as officials await federal government approval and distribution of the vaccine. The freezers, which cost a total of about $400,000 and is being paid for with federal CARES Act funding, can keep temperatures as cold as -86 degrees Celsius. One of the vaccines, manufactured by Pfizer, requires the vaccine to be kept at -70 C. A first shipment of the vaccine is expected next week.
“We are anxious to get the vaccine to our first responders and health care workers as soon as they arrive,” Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said. “We moved quickly to ensure we had the adequate storage capability to meet the needs of the county. As more vaccine arrives, we will move on to additional priority groups working hand in glove with our health experts.
The County launched a new public education campaign this week to emphasize how important it was to keep wearing masks, avoiding gatherings, and stay home when sick to stop the spread of the virus. This campaign, “You can’t beat it unless you face” brings together the community around the commonsense steps we must all take until the vaccine is widely available.
Each freezer weighs 723 pounds and can hold 144,000 doses of the vaccine. During one installation today, a freezer needed to be partially disassembled to make it to its ultimate destination, including the handles, cooler grill disassembled, handles and various brackets. Two doors also had to be temporarily removed from the door casing as the unit went through five doorways.
A crew of four delivery men, four staff from the county Facilities Maintenance & Operations and an electrician were needed to unload and moved the units. The freezers are equipped with alarms to ensure a consistent temperature and are monitored around the clock.
The Health Division will administer the vaccine at the same drive-through locations in the county that perform free COVID-19 testing and give flu shots.
Appointments for testing and flu shots are required and can be made by calling 1-800-848-5533. Same day appointments are not available.
Locations
- • Monday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Old Holly Fire Station
313 S. Broad St, Holly
• Tuesday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Rochester Fire Station
277 E. Second St., Rochester
• Wednesday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Southfield City Hall
Employee Parking Deck
26000 Evergreen Road, Southfield
• Thursday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pontiac Fire Station
348 South Blvd W., Pontiac
by Becky Andrus | Dec 14, 2020 | Meetings, Township/Village
