Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke personally with President Joe Biden this week and said at a press conference Friday she would continue to urge him to send more vaccines to Michigan.
“I made the case for a surge strategy. At this point, that’s not being deployed, but I am not giving up. I think it’s really important that we continue to do so,” Whitmer said.
The surge strategy she’s advocating for would send more vaccines to “hot spots,” something she said would promote equity and is “the right thing to do.”
Michigan is experiencing the worst COVID-19 surge of any state nationally, according to an April 1 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Michigan outpaces the nation for new cases per 100,000 in population, the percentage of people testing positive for COVID-19 and confirmed COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100 inpatient beds.
Related: Michigan ranks highest in COVID-19 hospitalizations amid surge as model predicts further worsening
Whitmer said that while today Michigan is surging, tomorrow it could be another area of the country.
“I really believe that the most important thing we can do is put our efforts into squelching where the hot spots are,” Whitmer said.
She said the feds have sent support like therapeutics and mobile testing capability, but have not embraced a surge strategy at this point -- something she said she would continue to fight for.
Michigan Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said the state orders and allocates all the vaccines that are available to it, something the state walked through with the White House team on Thursday.
“It is very clear, and they agreed with us, that we are ordering all of the vaccines that are available to us,” Khaldun said.
The Whitmer administration has shifted its focus to vaccinating Michiganders as a primary way to fight the virus.
Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have been forgoing the orders that restricted peoples’ activities and asking people to voluntarily restrict their movement to limit the spread of the virus, instead.
Khaldun reiterated on Friday that just because activities like indoor dining are open does not mean people should be participating in them.
The state is also recommending, but not requiring, schools to pause in-person learning and sports.
More on MLive:
Michigan ranks highest in COVID-19 hospitalizations amid surge as model predicts further worsening
Whitmer asks high schools, youth sports to pause for two weeks – but doesn’t order it
Sports, spring break & sleepovers: COVID chaos as outbreaks increase in Michigan schools
The Link LonkApril 09, 2021 at 11:35PM
https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/2021/04/whitmer-asks-biden-to-implement-surge-strategy-send-michigan-more-vaccines.html
Whitmer asks Biden to implement ‘surge strategy,’ send Michigan more vaccines - MLive.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=Send&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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