Health and Wellness

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph health agency has announced it is expanding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination to include residents 60 to 64 years of age. Beginning Monday, additional eligible individuals will include agricultural and food-processing workers who meet specific criteria. Food-processing workers include those whose jobs are at meat-processing and meatpacking facilities; who process fruit and vegetables; dairy processing; animal feed manufacturing; …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has received an initial allotment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations began for individuals in Phase 1A priority groups last week, as hospitals in the Branch-Hillsdale-St Joseph counties also received shipments to vaccinate their front-line workers. Communications are taking place directly with these entities, and clinics are not open to the general public at this …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday that her administration may extend portions of a three-week partial shutdown of schools and businesses next week because of the “sheer volume” of coronavirus cases in Michigan. The Democratic governor said no decision had been made, but that hospitals can’t be overrun with COVID-19 patients. Although the infection curve has leveled off, it is a …

A top Michigan health official said Tuesday she was cautiously optimistic that more residents took steps to combat the surging coronavirus last month, citing declining case rates, but warned that the spread remains significant and the effect of Thanksgiving will not be known for two to three weeks. Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s chief medical executive and an adviser to Gov. …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday she has the authority to issue a second stay-at-home order to curb the spiking coronavirus if necessary and called a comment by an adviser to President Donald Trump urging people to “rise up” against Michigan’s latest restrictions “incredibly reckless.” The Democratic governor spoke with Capitol reporters a day after announcing limits amid a surge of COVID-19 cases …

Lockport Township officials have issued a boil water notice after the township’s water system detected the presence of coliform bacteria in its supply. Deputy clerk Rhonda Wright said the water department office routinely monitors for the presence of drinking water contaminants and recent water samples showed the presence of coliform bacteria. Wright advised residents to not drink tap water without boiling …

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration on Sunday ordered high schools and colleges to stop in-person classes, closed restaurants to indoor dining and stopped organized sports — including the football playoffs — in a bid to curb Michigan’s spiking coronavirus cases. The restrictions will begin Wednesday and last three weeks. They are not nearly as sweeping as when the governor issued a …

Hospital leaders warned Thursday that more than 3,000 people are hospitalized with the coronavirus in Michigan, a rate that is doubling every two weeks and is expected to top the spring peak of about 4,000 by late this month. “It’s an accelerating trend. It’s very serious,” said John Fox, president and CEO of Beaumont Health, the state’s largest system. Inpatients …

Michigan on Tuesday posted a record number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases, near 6,500, and reported 59 deaths within the previous 24 hours — its deadliest day in six months. COVID-19, which subsided over the summer after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer imposed sweeping stay-at-home and other restrictions, has rebounded this fall. Asked if she might again order people to stay home, …

Michigan has posted a record number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases, near 6,500. And also on Tuesday the state reported its deadliest day in 6 months, with 59 deaths in 24 hours. COVID-19, which subsided over the summer after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer imposed sweeping stay-at-home and other restrictions, has rebounded this fall. The latest average positivity rate in Michigan is …