WVBI COVID-19 Update for December 31, 2020

Still more bars violating the state’s COVID-19 rules have seen their liquor licenses suspended. There were five in the latest round bringing the total to 31.  None of those suspended seemed to be open in protest.  Instead, they were allowing patrons to linger inside after purchasing take out food or beverages—and in some cases not following masking requirements to boot.  This time, all of the places cited were downstate.

 

Governor Whitmer has vetoed two bills that would have limited the executive power of Michigan governors.  The first repealed the 1945 law she used to issue executive orders after the first month of the crisis—one that the Michigan Supreme Court has already ruled invalid as unconstitutional.  The second would have limited the duration of order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services—the source of many current restrictions.

 

New COVID-19 case numbers state-wide showed an uptick in yesterday’s report from state health officials, but our local numbers continued to look good. Statewide report had 4,222 new cases, up from 3,414 yesterday.   There were 51 new deaths, down from 88 new deaths yesterday along with 105 reclassified deaths from prior dates.  The seven-day running average for new cases is up by to 2,602—an increase of just over 100.  For deaths it is 80—that number still lagging high because of deaths reclassified from prior dates. In the eight-county region we’ve followed from the start, there were just 31 new cases, but three new deaths.  Charlevoix had three new cases.  Charlevoix also had one of the deaths. The other two in Grand Traverse and Leelanau. Averages for the region are 36 new cases and one death a day.

 

Statewide there are now 146,2033 active cases—down more than 10,000 from yesterday.  Our region has 2,448—down by more than 200. 

 

Last reported average positivity rate statewide is steady at 8.2% and down to 6.7% for our safe start zone.  The rate in Charlevoix county is 3.1%. The C-D-C target is 3%.  The hospital occupancy reports continue to look good, though occupancy is up a bit.   74.4% of in-patient rooms are in use statewide and 72% in our region.  For I-C-Us, the rate is 75.8% for the state and 67.8% locally. Those numbers are for overall utilization—not just for COVID-19.  The COVID-19 case count in our local hospitals is unchanged. Munson Hospital in Charlevoix has one COVID-19 patients, in a regular room.  At McLaren in Petoskey, they have 10 patients–all of them are in their I-C-U. 

 

On the island, the Health Center reported another new test and a result back yesterday. The result was negative.  There is one test pending. No new positives since the 7^th.

 

Complete data for our region plus summaries for the state, the T-C safe start zone and the U-P are in the table below.

 

 

Data from December 30, 2020

Down in Ann Arbor, U of  M is opening the Big House today—but not for football—or even a hockey game (which has been done).  Instead, the opening today is for COVID-19 vaccinations with hundreds of U of M employees and students who are health care and emergency services workers and providers expected today between 9 and 11.  The health system at U of M says they have already vaccinated 6,000 workers since getting their first batch of vaccines back on the 14^th.