Dear Friends, I hope you all have been staying cool as the temperatures have increased with the arrival of summer. Please remember to take care of yourself while outside in the heat by staying hydrated, wearing loose fitting and breathable clothing, and taking breaks from strenuous outdoor activities. Featured in this newsletter:
As always, if I can be of any assistance to you or your family, please call my office at (517) 373-2417, or email me at SenRBayer@senate.michigan.gov. Be well, |
Rosemary Bayer
COMMUNITY UPDATE: JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION On Sunday we celebrated Juneteenth. This now federally recognized holiday commemorates when General Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 and affirmed the end of slavery in all U.S. states. This was more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed. I had the opportunity to participate in Pontiac’s first Juneteenth Parade. Thank you State Representative Brenda Carter for organizing this important event! It was great to see so many people celebrating this important holiday together.
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I want to hear from you! Please join me at Bowens Senior Center in Pontiac for my next coffee hour. Let me know what issues are important to you and want you want to know about what is happening in Lansing. WHEN: Friday, June 24 at 1 pm >> Click here for more information about the event.
CHILDREN AGES 6 MONTHS THROUGH 4 YEARS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR COVID-19 VACCINE With summer now here, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced that all Michiganders ages 6 months and up are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. The pediatric vaccine, which received emergency use authorization for this age group from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was recommended by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on June 18, 2022. MDHHS is recommending providers begin vaccinating children ages 6 months and up as soon as possible.
MDHHS recommends all eligible children get vaccinated and stay up to date on vaccines even if they have previously had COVID-19. Children younger than 5 can receive vaccine from a primary care provider, local health department or federally qualified health center. Some pharmacies will vaccinate people ages 3 and up. Visit Vaccines.gov for nearby vaccine locations — age specific information will soon be available.
MDHHS OFFERS TIPS AND TRICKS TO STAY HEALTHY DURING HEAT WAVES As summer approaches later this month, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is urging Michigan residents to take steps to protect themselves from risks related to hot weather. As daily temperatures rise above 80 degrees, emergency department visits for heat-related illness tend to increase. This is often more likely early in the summer season as people are not yet used to high temperatures and are not taking the necessary precautions. To prevent complications from the heat, residents are encouraged to:
For those without access to air conditioning, text or call Michigan 2-1-1 or contact your local health department to find out if there is a cooling center nearby. You can also spend some time at an air-conditioned store, shopping mall or other public building — even a few hours spent in an air-conditioned environment can help. In addition to staying hydrated and out of the sun, residents are reminded to never leave children or pets alone in a car even with windows cracked. Temperatures inside a car can easily be double the temperature outside. Because a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult, they are more susceptible to heatstroke. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are both forms of heat-related illness. Signs of heat-related illness vary but may include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, fainting, extremely high body temperature (above 103°F), and/or tiredness. If you suspect someone has heatstroke, call 9-1-1 for immediate medical help and try to cool the person down. For more information about how to protect yourself and your loved ones from heat-related illness, see the MDHHS Heat Awareness and Safety Fact Sheet, or visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
LOCAL COOLING CENTERS TO BEAT THE HEAT Please stay safe today as we continue to have high temperatures and heat advisories in our area. It’s important to stay hydrated and out of the sun as much as possible during days when temperatures are particularly high. You can find cooling centers throughout Oakland County by visiting the county’s website. It’s important to take care of our bodies during the summer months and local cooling centers are a great resource to utilize if you’re in need of a cool space to relax.
MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS STAY SAFE ONLINE Are your children safe while online? Michigan families, especially minors, are becoming inundated with advertisements from alcohol, tobacco, pornography, illegal drugs, and gambling marketers through different internet and cell phone inboxes. Thankfully, the State of Michigan offers a free program to stop adult advertisements from reaching emails, text messages, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. The Michigan Child Protection Registry is a free, do-not-contact service for Michigan’s families and can be located at ProtectMIChild.com. I encourage you to sign your entire family up for the Registry and inform your friends and colleagues about how it can also protect their children and families from unwanted adult advertising. It takes seconds to sign up — visit ProtectMIChild.com today and keep your family safe. |