Officials issue open letter after significant rise of COVID-19 cases in Washtenaw County

ANN ARBOR, MI — With the days ahead including Halloween, a home University of Michigan football game versus Michigan State, Election Day and other happenings, officials are reminding the public COVID-19 cases locally are rising sharply.

Nine Washtenaw County officials issued a joint open letter to the community Thursday, Oct. 29, with the latest public health guidance amid the surge in cases.

“Unfortunately, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 continues to circulate. Little has changed about that,” the letter states. “As more activities have resumed, our community is one of many with a significant increase in cases, test positivity and hospitalizations. We must be united in our efforts to reduce the spread of illness and lessen the negative impact of COVID-19 in our community.”

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The letter is signed by County Health Officer Jimena Loveluck, County Board Chairman Jason Morgan, Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor, Ypsilanti Mayor Lois Richardson, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, UM President Mark Schlissel, Eastern Michigan University President James Smith, Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo and Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal.

They urge everyone to work together to prevent the spread of illness whenever possible, making sure community events can happen in new and safer ways.

A two-week snapshot from Oct. 15-28 showed there were another 962 confirmed COVID-19 cases among local residents, including two deaths, according to the Washtenaw County Health Department, which reports a 3.9% weekly test positivity rate and a 2% hospitalization rate.

The total number of confirmed and probable cases among Washtenaw County residents is now up to 5,762, including 121 deaths and 497 hospitalizations.

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Everyone should be alert to the possibility of exposure if out in public or in contact with others, officials said, noting the virus is primarily spread through direct, person-to-person contact.

“Social gatherings or events without precautions account for most local infections or exposures,” the letter states.

The letter offers the following guidance:

• Make absolutely sure you do not have any symptoms before going out in public or having contact with others. Don’t assume symptoms are allergies or unrelated to COVID-19. If you have any symptoms, stay home and away from others.
• If you have had known exposure to someone with COVID-19 within the past 14 days, stay home and quarantine. A negative test during quarantine does not clear you.

If you go out or are in contact with others:

• Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth. The only exceptions should be when you are eating, if you are alone, or only with others already in your household.
• Keep at least six feet away from others not in your household.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• If you start to feel ill or experience symptoms, isolate yourself from others as soon as possible. Seek testing and continue to stay away from others while you await your results.

For gatherings and events:

• In-person gatherings increase the risk of becoming infected with or spreading COVID-19. Plan to celebrate or cheer from the safety of your home, and not with large groups of people. Be mindful of potential exposure of other fans or your family and friends.
• Outdoor gatherings in the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti are limited to no more than 25 people under local health orders. Officials strongly encourage smaller groups. Indoor gatherings remain limited to 10 or fewer people not in the same household under state health orders.

Game day:

• Tailgating is prohibited in the lots surrounding the UM stadium and strongly discouraged everywhere. There are no public ticket sales.
• There is currently a stay-in-place order for UM undergraduate students because of the steep increase in cases associated with UM. Students and others are required to stay home and, if they watch the game, to do so with their households.
• Find virtual ways to connect, cheer and celebrate.
• For students who will be going home for Thanksgiving, keep your family and friends at home safer by being as safe as possible now.
• While EMU is on the road for its first two football games Nov. 4 and 11, it has a home game Nov. 18. Tailgating on the EMU campus or in parking lots around Rynearson Stadium is prohibited. There will be no guest admissions — only ticketed family members of participants permitted in the stadium.

Halloween:

• Halloween is not canceled but should look different this year. Celebrate at home, virtually or using face coverings, distance and frequent hand cleaning to be as safe as possible.
• If you decide to trick-or-treat or hand out treats, use face coverings and avoid gathering or close contact with others not in your household. Stay outdoors.
• Find creative ways to keep distance, such as “handing” out candy from behind a six-foot table or other marker.
• Halloween activities are not exempt from the stay-in-place order for UM students.
• As with all events and activities, do not participate if you are having any symptoms or if you have been exposed to COVID-19 within the last 14 days.

Voting:

• Consider voting early or do so on Election Day as safely as possible.
• Same-day registration is available in your city or township clerk office up until 8 p.m. Election Day. Check your registration and find your clerk’s office at Michigan.gov/Vote.

Officials concluded the letter by expressing appreciation for cooperation, saying the community is at its best when everyone works together and values and protects one another to the best of their collective ability.

“We strongly request and hope that all community members comply with local public health orders voluntarily, but these orders will be enforced if necessary,” the letter states. “Failure to follow local public health orders are subject to misdemeanor charges, monetary penalties of $500 to $1000, and students may face student conduct violations.”

As the community continues to grapple with the impacts of the pandemic, the United Way of Washtenaw County on Thursday announced a new round of grants totaling $69,000 through its COVID-19 Community Recovery Fund, bringing the organization’s total investment in relief and recovery efforts to $1.2 million.

Organizations that received the new funding include Parkridge Community Center, Women’s Center of Southeast Michigan, Barrier Busters, Bottles and Backpacks, Avalon Housing/Gruner Consulting and Nonprofit Enterprise at Work.

“We continue to prioritize response efforts that attend to the racialized impacts of the pandemic on communities of color,” CEO Pam Smith said in a statement.

“This round of grants prioritized K-12 education supports to ensure continuity of learning for local children, financial stability for people that identify as women, and providing support to local nonprofit leaders (delivering) essential services at this time.”

The latest grants follow a recent $500,000 grant award to the United Way of Washtenaw County from the Michigan Coronavirus Task Force on Racial Disparities.

In addition to the United Way, the county and two other local organizations received similar grants from the task force to respond to community needs associated with the disparate impacts COVID-19 has had on communities of color.

The county health department received $248,000, some of which will go toward pop-up testing and flu vaccine clinics.

Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels will use its $144,600 to meet the increased needs of the under-60 homebound population, while Food Gatherers is using its $150,000 for food distribution.

Since the pandemic began, requests for food assistance have increased by as much as 300% at some pantries, according to Food Gatherers.

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