COVID UPDATE
COVID-19 cases are rising at an alarming rate in our state. Hospitalization rates are now at the highest they’ve been throughout this whole pandemic.
Our hospitals are overwhelmed, and more than 800 COVID-19 patients have been admitted to all eight Beaumont Hospitals in our state. Because of this, Beaumont has had to begin putting up modular triage units and tents outside to help manage the stress on their emergency units.
This latest surge is creating additional stress for hospital staff. While a recent supplemental passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor created a $2.25 wage increase for direct-care workers, the trauma and stress hospital staff have seen over this pandemic will not be resolved with just a monetary increase.
We need to help our health care workers, who need us now more than ever to play our part in mitigating the spread of this virus. Wear a mask, social distance, and get vaccinated if you have the chance. Also, please avoid large indoor gatherings and indoor dining with others if you can. The more we all stay apart for just a bit longer, the sooner we’ll be able to gather together again.
As we have done before, we wanted to share again a few different links that some constituents have flagged at being useful and that have yielded success for scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments:
- Ascension Providence
- Beaumont ‘Save My Shot’
- McLaren Health Care
- St. Joseph Mercy – Oakland
- Kroger
- Rite Aid
- Meijer
Ford Field Vaccination Clinic
Registration for the COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Ford Field in Detroit is now open. It will operate from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., seven days a week, for eight weeks under the federal government’s vaccination pilot program.
Sign-up is available through these three options:
- Online
- Text EndCOVID to 75049
- Call the MDHHS COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6316 (press 1)
The MDHHS COVID-19 hotline is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It is expected that the call center will have long wait times, so calling is recommended only for people who cannot register online or by text.
People who have registered will receive an invitation either by voice or text when it’s their turn to schedule their appointment. Vaccine appointments will be scheduled a few days in advance.
NOTE: Please try to register for the Ford Field site only one time. If you register too many times, the system may label you as a bot.
THIS WEEK IN THE LEGISLATURE
Conversion Therapy
This week, Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) and I introduced legislation that would prohibit licensed mental health professionals from practicing so-called “conversion therapy” with a minor. House Bill 4651 and Senate Bill 367 would ban any practice or treatments by licensed mental health professionals that seek to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Conversion therapy is not therapy, it is not grounded in science, and it is immoral and unethical. It is a harmful practice that has been denounced by both medical and mental health experts, including professionals at the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, and the National Association of Social Workers. The impact of conversion therapy on young people can be irreversible, leading to self-harming behaviors, depression, low self-esteem, substance abuse, and even suicide.
Twenty other states have already banned conversion therapy. Both Republican and Democratic governors across the nation have signed conversion therapy bans into law, including Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. The legislation introduced this week advocates for Michigan to become the next state to implement a ban on conversion therapy.
Black Maternal Health Week
The week of April 11-17 is Black Maternal Health Week and to commemorate it, the Senate adopted Senator Erika Geiss’s resolution (Senate Resolution 39).
Black women are up to four times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications and suffer from childbirth-related disabilities, according to the Center for Disease Control. They’re also significantly more likely to suffer from infertility, have a cesarean section, receive no prenatal care, and be denied medication to manage their pain.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Black maternal health is more important than ever. As a result of this health care crisis, pregnant Black women, in particular, are reportedly enduring limited in-person prenatal care, limited support during labor, social isolation, and increased economic anxiety.
Governor Whitmer, in her proclamation, confirms that by addressing the root causes of disparities in Black maternal health outcomes through social justice and systemic change, and by equipping mothers, families, health care providers, and community members with resources and information, we can advance the health and well-being of Black women and families throughout the state.
Mallory McMorrow
State Senator
13th District