KENT COUNTY, Mich. — The final COVID-related public health order from the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) is set to expire Friday as the recovery phase of the latest COVID surge begins.
December of 2021 was the third deadliest month of the pandemic in Kent County with a total of 143 COVID-19 related deaths. As the delta and omicron variant cases surged in December and January, the healthcare systems in the county were pushed to capacity.
The rising cases, in conjunction with revised Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, prompted an extension to a public health order for COVID-19 mitigation in the K-12 education setting. That final COVID-related public health order expires at the conclusion of the school day Friday, Feb. 18.
Since the surges in December and January, Kent County, as well as the rest of the state, has seen a dramatic reduction of daily positive COVID-19 cases. On Feb. 16, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced that the state is now officially considered in a post-surge recovery stage.
KCHD issued five statements in response to the improving conditions in the county:
- As we approach the post pandemic future, we must recognize that COVID-19 is an illness that is likely to be with us indefinitely. The Kent County Health Department along with other medical and public health experts will continue to share information and resources useful for preventing illness and protecting health. We will do this in much the same way that we protect public health from other threats.
- The Public Health Order dated January 11th of this year will expire at the conclusion of the school day on Friday February 18, 2022. There are no other public health orders related to COVID-19 presently in effect from the Kent County Health Department.
- The CDC and MDHHS have published guidance for COVID-19 mitigation in schools and many other settings. It our understanding that those agencies will continue to produce evidence-based recommendations as the situation unfolds. That guidance is readily accessible and residents are encouraged to stay informed and make decisions that protect health and wellness.
- We recognize that the harms caused by COVID-19 are real, substantial, and that each individual’s decisions affect the safety of others. We also recognize that COVID-19 mitigation comes with costs and should be weighed against other concerns and priorities. In this post surge recovery stage it is appropriate for individuals, educational settings, and others to weigh these considerations carefully and make decisions that best fit their own unique circumstances. In the spirit of this recognition, public health recommendations are properly understood as advice and not directive.
- Kent County Health Department will continue to monitor community-wide epidemiology, in accordance with our program requirements, and will intervene as appropriate when outbreaks and imminent dangers are identified.
KCHD also shared that they wanted residents to know that they will not issue a mandate for the COVID-19 vaccination for the public. They do, however, encourage people who are eligible to get vaccinated.
To find a vaccine clinic near you, click here.
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