Grand Traverse County COVID-19 Community Update
- May 22, 2020
DAILY NUMBERS
The Grand Traverse County
Health Department reports the total number of COVID-19 cases remains at 23
positive cases, 6 probable cases, 14 recoveries, and 5 deaths in Grand Traverse
County residents. Additional statistics are available on the County’s dashboard.
Regionally, Munson
Healthcare is reporting COVID-19 testing results on its website for each of its hospitals. Numbers listed are by hospital, not
county of residence.
PARTIAL REOPENING BEGINS
TODAY
Grand Traverse County will
begin a partial reopening today under MI Safe Start Executive
Order 2020-96. Residents, businesses and visitors are encouraged to Stay
Safe to Stay Open. This includes the following measures while in
public:
- Staying
6 feet apart
- Wearing
masks
- Limiting
social gatherings to 10 people
- Continuing
basic prevention measures like frequent hand washing
- Following workplace safety protocols.
Since the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the citizens of Grand Traverse County have responded quickly
and demonstrated their individual responsibility to help mitigate the impact of
the disease on our community. As the region begins to reopen, it will be our
dedication to safety that will determine our ability to see continued
success.
To support this effort, the
Grand Traverse County Health Department, Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s
Office along with the Traverse City Police Department remain committed to
providing a safe environment for all of the people in the Grand Traverse Area.
Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, these Departments have worked together to
investigate potential violations of the Governor’s Executive Orders. This
upcoming holiday weekend will be no different. Plans are in place to ensure a
coordinated response to any potential issues.
In the event of serious and
potentially dangerous situations, efforts will be made to educate and raise
awareness of the safeguards established under the Governor’s Executive Order
2020-97. However, there may be situations where this approach is insufficient.
In those cases, law enforcement will continue to investigate and reports will
be sent to the Prosecutor’s Office for review. A violation of an Executive
Order is punishable by up to 90 days and/or $500.00 (MCL
10.33). Additionally, businesses that do not comply could face licensing
issues in the future.
The Grand Traverse Health
Department has links on its website to reopening toolkits for businesses and a
noncompliance reporting form where individuals can report health-related
concerns. Individuals may also report issues to the health department at gtchd@gtchd.org, or by calling (231)
995-6800. If an issue arises that is not of an emergent nature, please
contact the Health Department, or the non-emergency line of 911 Dispatch at 231-922-4550
so that 911 remains available for more serious calls.
Together, by staying safe
to stay open, we can be a model for the state and allow economic recovery
in our region, without risking the health of our residents or capacity of our
healthcare system. We are all dependent on one another to prevent the further
spread of COVID-19.
Reminder to seasonal and
returning residents: the Grand Traverse County Health Department and Northern
Michigan Public Health Alliance are recommending a 14-day self-quarantine to limit the chances you might spread the
virus unknowingly. Returning residents are encouraged to use store delivery
services upon arrival to the area.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION &
RESOURCES
Please visit gtcountycovid19.com for important resources
including health and safety information for individuals and businesses.
If you suspect that you may
have contracted the virus, call your healthcare provider or the Michigan
COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136, seven days a week from 8 am - 5 pm.
ABOUT THE JOC
Grand Traverse County’s
Joint Operations Center has been meeting 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.
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