Grand Traverse County COVID-19 Community Update — April 12, 2020
This Easter, like every day this month, residents are encouraged
to participate in religious services and other gatherings online, and to visit
with family and friends by phone or using online video. In-person contact with
people outside of your immediate household increases the risk of virus spread.
To date, Grand Traverse County has 17 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19,
with 273 county residents tested, three deaths, and five people removed from
isolation per guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
The Grand Traverse County Health Department asks each household to
limit the number of people who leave home as much as possible. Please go out
for urgent or essential needs only, like groceries and medical supplies. These
restrictions are in place through April 30 per Governor Whitmer's extended Stay
Home, Stay Safe order. In addition to social distancing and safety
guidelines, the order also:
- Imposes restrictions on how many people can be in
stores at one time.
- Prohibits vacation rentals, except for healthcare
workers and first responders.
- Prohibits travel between two residences.
Supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are running low in
Grand Traverse County and across the country. Therefore, use of N95 masks must
be prioritized for frontline healthcare workers and first responders. Following
recommendations by the CDC, the general public is advised to wear homemade face
coverings in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to
maintain.
For the most current, factual information about COVID-19 in Grand
Traverse County, visit the official gtcountycovid19.com website and Facebook page. Residents
can also call the hotline at 231-642-3548 or sign
up to receive daily updates via email. All critical health updates come
from the Grand Traverse County Health Department and Munson Healthcare, and are
immediately posted throughout the day along with other updates from the Joint
Operations Center. Munson Healthcare also reports COVID-19
testing results on its website for each of its hospitals throughout
northern Michigan. Please direct your neighbors to these best information
resources.
Grand Traverse County’s Joint Operations Center has been meeting
daily to coordinate efforts and communication on the COVID-19 pandemic since
Friday, March 13. Members include key community partners from health,
government, first responders, education, social service, and business sectors.
BASIC PREVENTION MEASURES
The best prevention for viruses like COVID-19, influenza, and the
common cold is to:
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20
seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed
hands.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve
when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with
others.
- Stay at least six feet away from others when in a
public setting.
- Replace handshakes with a friendly wave from 6 feet
away.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest
information is available at gtchd.org, at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus, and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
