GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Coronavirus is rising in Michigan, with 1,035 confirmed cases and nine deaths. The first death was recorded in Grand Rapids over the weekend. Government officials continue drafting public health orders in an effort to save lives.
Sunday, new orders from the governor shut down hair, nail, tattoo and tanning salons, and any other non-essential businesses throughout the state.
Adam London with the Kent County Health Department issued an order screening and limiting people at childhood facilities and other stringent restrictions.
Early Thursday, cases in the state stood at 100 with one death. Four days later, the spread of COVID-19 continues in counties all over the state. West Michigan has 34 confirmed cases. Detroit has the most in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
On a global scale, the U.S. is the third highest confirmed cases of Covid-19 behind Italy and China. Government officials are enforcing lockdowns and ‘shelter in place’ public health orders in Ohio, Louisiana, and Delaware. Michigan has not yet issued that order, Governor Whitmer still urging people to stay home and practice social distancing without a government order to do so.
Here is the order from Kent County regarding childcare centers:
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Persons providing childcare services for compensation shall develop and implement a daily screening program for all staff, children, parents entering the facility, and other visitors entering the facility.
2. The screening criteria must include the following: a. symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, severe cough and/or shortness of breath unrelated to a chronic condition, and; b. procedures must be in place to take the temperature of all covered individuals.
3. Persons demonstrating fever shall not be allowed to enter or return into the facility until they have been fever-free for 72 hours (3 days) without the use offever-reducing medications (for example Tylenol® or Motrin®), 7 days have passed since the onset of severe coughing and/or breathing difficulties, and those respiratory symptoms are improving.
4. Restrict all non-essential visitors from entering the childcare facility.
5. The contents of this Order shall be published at entrance of the facility and to the members of the public at large by all reasonable means available.
6. This Order shall be effective immediately and shall remain in effect until the Health Officer of Kent County rescinds this Order or the Governor's State of Emergency Executive Order (2020-04) is lifted.
7. This Order may be enforced by all methods allowed by law.