ATCHISON

MARQUETTE — UP Health System-Bell, Marquette and Portage are urging the community to wear face masks or cloth face coverings in public areas where social distancing is not easily achieved to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The hospital said in a news release that it has already instituted a universal masking protocol within its facilities and requires anyone entering to wear a face mask at all times. The practice aligns with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mandated by the state of Michigan as being an effective way to prevent the spread of the illness, officials said.

“UP Health System strongly encourages our community members to wear masks because each of us plays an important role in helping to keep our community safe and protect one another from the spread of infectious diseases,” UP Health System Market President Gar Atchison said in the release. “One of the easiest and most effective ways we can look out for each other and aid in the fight against COVID-19 is to wear a face mask in public spaces right now.”

Recent studies have shown that “universal masking can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19, especially in individuals who may be asymptomatic and unaware that they are ill,” officials said in the release.

Face masks and cloth face coverings should be worn over the nose and mouth, and be held securely in place with loops or ties, they said.

“Until there is a vaccine, wearing a mask in public, practicing social distancing and proper hand hygiene are our best lines of defense in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” Atchison said. “That’s why we’ve established a universal masking protocol in our facilities to help protect our patients, providers and employees, and we’re encouraging our fellow citizens to do the same in other public places.

“By looking out for each other, we’ll get through this together and continue making our community healthier.”

As of Thursday afternoon, the state of Michigan reported Marquette County had 95 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 confirmed deaths.

For more information from the CDC on face coverings and how to make them, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html.

App for vets available

The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain has introduced a new way for veterans to check in to their appointments: VEText, which can be used to notify the facility of the veteran’s presence and to notify the veteran when the provider is ready to see them.

This program allows for less face-to-face interaction, thus maintaining the safety of veterans and staff.

VEText is an application used for reminding veterans of upcoming appointments by sending a short text with the day and time of their appointment. It also allows the veteran to confirm or reschedule the appointment.

Important Veterans Association messaging is sent via these means to keep veterans informed of upcoming events or the latest COVID-19 updates.

“I Am Here” is an application that uses the VEText platform to allow veterans to remotely inform the clinic staff they are on site and virtually check in. Veterans are asked to text before entering the building and await their appointment time in their vehicles.

The purpose behind using this technology, according to the Johnson facility, is to help with physical distancing as well as ensuring that clinical areas are sanitized and ready to safely provide for veteran care.

Another safety feature of the app includes a pre-entry COVID-19 screening registration. The veteran receives a link to the VA COVID-19 screening tool. Having veterans answer screening questions on their phone and share their results at the facility entrance speeds up the required screening process and lowers exposure risk from in-person screening.

For more information on VEText, visit www.va.gov/HEALTH/VEText.asp

Help for renters available

A new program administered by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority in collaboration with Michigan Supreme Court and Department of Health and Human Services will help renters who have fallen behind on their payments due to COVID-19 and their landlords who want to recoup missed payments.

The newly launched Eviction Diversion Program coincided with Wednesday’s end of the state eviction moratorium, which had temporarily halted residential eviction for missed rent payments.

As part of the program, an allocation of $50 million was set aside to help tenants and landlords resolve eviction filings with conditional dismissals.

Tenants making up to 100% of area median income are eligible for the rental assistance. Participating landlords can receive up to 90% of a tenant’s unpaid rent in one lump sum. In exchange, landlords must dismiss all late fees, up to 10% of the amount due, and allow tenants to stay in their homes.

Funding for the EDP comes from Senate Bill 690, which appropriated $880 million in federal dollars from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

MSHDA will administer the EDP through Housing Assessment and Resource Agencies, a statewide network of homeless and special housing needs service providers. HARAs are responsible for collaborating with local stakeholders to design an eviction diversion process that notifies tenants and landlords about the program and ensures eviction filings are resolved by conditional dismissals in as many cases as possible.

For more information on EDP and a list of HARAs by county, visit Michigan.gov/EDP. The local HARA is the Alger-Marquette Community Action Board, 1125 Commerce Drive in Marquette Township, which may be reached at 800-562-9762 extension 0 or frontdesk@ communityactionam.org.

Help for fraud

investigation to be given

As the Unemployment Insurance Agency continues to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of Michigan has selected Deloitte, a nationally recognized professional services organization, to assist the UIA with financial operations, investigations into impostor claims, and a forensic review to help in identifying fraudulent activity that can be quickly turned over to law enforcement for prosecution.

According to the State Emergency Operatons Center, Deloitte will review the programs and systems at the UIA and assist with the investigation of impostor and fraudulent claims. Deloitte will also bring additional capacity to help the state identify potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities and take action to mitigate identified risks.