COUNTY OFFICIALS RECIEVE A COVID-19 UPDATE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
ST. JOSEPH – The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a main topic of discussion at all levels of government including at local school board meetings and at the Berrien County Board of Commissioner meetings.
Commissioners heard last week from Interim Berrien County Health Officer Guy Miller and Berrien RESA Superintendent Eric Hoppstock on the COVID issue. Several residents have challenged the county’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic over the last several months.
Miller outlined what the health department has done since the start of the pandemic and gave an overview of what the numbers have looked like then and now. He pointed out that the health department has been the leader in providing testing and vaccines. With vaccines, the department has held over 200 vaccine clinics and administered over 64,000 doses.
As for the case counts, he said the previous case peak before the current outbreak was in November, 2020. He did note that people should take the current positivity rates with a grain of salt as a lot of positive and negative test results are not reported. He pointed out that while the case rate is higher with the current surge, there have been less deaths.
Miller said the county has had nine identified omicron variant cases since Dec. 24, but emphasized that “we don’t test enough to know the actual spread of that strain.”
He and Hoppstock told commissioners that the health department and local school districts work together but have not colluded to keep mask mandates in place in the months since the health department’s mask order was imposed and rescinded in September. They said they’ve worked to balance in-person learning with safety concerns.
“We started working with the health department on a weekly and biweekly basis,” Hoppstock said. “We got their input on what our practices should be. We have communicated with the health department but at no point were we coerced into practices, we took what they said under advisement … It’s been a collaborative relationship to keep students safe.”
Miller added that the health department and school district have the authority to act independent of each other. He also pointed out that the guidance on isolation and quarantines has been constantly changing to where now the current federal guidance gives entities the ability to reduce isolation and quarantine from 10 to five days.
He told commissioners that the Omicron variant appears to hit people quicker which means most people who get a mild case of it stop shedding the virus by the fifth day of infection. “There are still a lot of risk variables that go into it but we’re comfortable that most people will be done shedding at day five although they should still wear masks,” he said.
Commissioners asked Miller to provide them with information showing what percentage of those testing positive are unvaccinated, vaccinated or vaccinated with boosters. They also said they want to know how many of those testing positive have had COVID before.
Residents in the audience continued to express concern about health department and school district actions. Richard McCoy of Stevensville told commissioners that parents have the fundamental right to direct the care and education of their children.
Others questioned whether vaccines, quarantines and masks work or are actually detrimental. Victory Woodall of Covert said her children attend school in Berrien County and she has her business here. “Why is the health department considering schools to be a high risk environment when they’re the least likely to contract, spread or die from the virus,” she asked.
“The department’s policies are designed to strong arm schools,” she added. “When they lifted the mandates, they told the schools they wouldn’t have to quarantine if they did universal masking.”
COVID guidance has come in recent weeks from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
MDHHS officials first sent a letter to school superintendents throughout the state on Dec. 30, advising them on steps to take as students returned to school after the winter break. They recommended schools continue prevention efforts including universal indoor masking, regular testing and getting students and staff vaccinated.
On Jan. 10, the MDHHS issued updated COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools. The isolation and quarantine guidance was in keeping with recent Centers for Disease Control guideline changes. They pointed out that isolation is for when someone is already infected with COVID-19, while quarantines are for those who may have been exposed to the virus.
Students, staff and teachers who test positive and/or display symptoms should isolate at home for five days and can return to school if they wear masks when symptoms improve-or continue to not have symptoms. Those unwilling or unable to wear a mask should stay home for the full 10 days.
As for quarantines, those who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 do not need to quarantine if they themselves have had a confirmed COVID-19 case within the last 90 days or are up to date on all recommended vaccines. Those who do not meet those criteria need to quarantine or follow test or mask to stay rules to stay in school.
The MDHHS also updated their guidance for the general public given the changes in the CDC guidelines. That update came on Dec. 31 and shortened the quarantine and isolation period for those unvaccinated or who haven’t gotten a booster shot from 10 to five days with the caveat that they wear a mask on days 6-10 of that period.
People can find the state’s COVID-19 pandemic recommendations and guidance at the www.michigan.gov/coronavirus website.