ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — The University of Michigan sent an email out to students Friday saying, heads up, we are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases and you might want to take some precautions.
“These cases are almost always linked to indoor social gatherings,” Dr. Preeti Malani, University of Michigan Chief Health Officer, told WXYZ.
Dr. Malani says the trends the University of Michigan sees will also likely be seen across metro Detroit. She says, fortunately, high vaccination rates mean on campus most cases are mild. The university wants students and staff to feel empowered to take precautions to protect themselves if they or someone they are around is vulnerable. For example, she suggests considering masking at large indoor gatherings and if you have any symptoms, testing.
“We want to make sure the people have the types of tools to protect people around them and home tests are one of the big advances that we have seen in the last year,” said Dr. Malani.
The University says students can pick up free at-home antigen tests at any central or north campus CSTP site [campusblueprint.umich.edu].
An e-mail sent to students said, “Additionally, the spread of the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron has grown to represent more than half of cases in the midwest region. This is significant because the new subvariant appears to be more transmissible than the BA.1 subvariant previously circulating widely in our community.”
Dr. Malani says COVID-19 is not going away and it is best that people use what we have learned about the virus and protect themselves from serious illness through vaccination.
“There have now been billions of doses of vaccines given all over the world with minimal complications. These are among the safest vaccines that have ever been developed,” said Dr. Malani.
Students say it’s not surprising that cases are increasing.
“I think a lot of people are done with COVID,” said Nina Haley, a student.
“I have noticed a lot of students don’t wear their masks as much because you don’t have to in the dorms anymore. But I have noticed a lot more coughing and sneezing and hacking up a lung. So that is a little concerning,” said Leila Kitchen, a student.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.