MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Health Department announced on Tuesday that it has learned through contact tracing efforts of a potential public exposure to COVID-19 at the Island Resort and Casino.

The casino is located at West 399 U.S. 2 and U.S. 41 in Harris.

MCHD recommends that anyone who attended the concert held by the Journey/Eagles tribute band Faithfully, held in the Island Showroom at 8 p.m. Saturday, monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms and contact their medical providers should they become symptomatic.

MCHD continues to recommend people adhere to all social distancing and hygiene practices needed to prevent the spread of the disease, include wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing whenever they are near people inside or outside a building. They are urged to avoid physical contact with others and not share items such as cell phones or water bottles.

Anyone interested in receiving a vaccine can register through the link provided at www.mqthealth.org. They also can register through Meijer at https://clinic.meijer.com or through Snyder’s Drug Stores at https://covidshotsnyders.com.

Testing ramping up

To slow the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is increasing testing and urging Michiganders to continue mitigation practices that help slow the spread of the virus.

“Now is the time for us all to come together and do what’s necessary to end this pandemic,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health, in a statement. “We are making progress in the fight against the virus with more than 4 million doses administered and 2.6 million Michiganders having at least their first dose of the safe and effective COVD-19 vaccine.

“It is important, now more than ever, that we double down on the things that work: wearing masks, social distancing, getting tested and making plans to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”

The presence of more infectious variants, such as the B 1.1.7 variant, threatens the state’s progress in controlling the pandemic and MDHHS continues to monitor the data closely, according to a news release from the State Emergency Operations Center.

“Our goal is to loosen restrictions while reducing public health risk, which is why we move slowly to maintain progress and momentum with thoughtful public health measures,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director, in a statement. “We are also increasing testing in key populations to help identify cases more quickly, and help prevent additional spread of the virus.”

As part of the state’s efforts to help fight the virus and keep Michiganders healthy:

≤ More than 1.4 million antigen tests have been sent to long-term care facilities.

≤ More than 72,000 free tests have been conducted at neighborhood testing sites in socially vulnerable communities and continue to provide testing. To find a local a testing site, visit gov/Coronavirustest.

≤ Over 76,000 students, student-athletes and educators in K-12 schools have been tested in more than 500 school districts.

≤ Testing for student-athletes begins Friday. This testing program is vital to ensure school can remain open and students are able to be in the classroom.

≤ Free post-spring break testing pop-up sites are planned for school districts in 34 communities.

≤ Testing sites at Welcome Centers and Michigan airports are in the works for returning travelers.

As of Monday, all Michiganders age 16 and up who were not previously eligible will be eligible to receive a vaccine.

To receive a vaccine, state officials recommend people should:

≤ Check the website of their local health department or hospital to find out their process or for registration forms or to check additional vaccination sites, such as local pharmacies. These include Snyder’s Drugs for Upper Peninsula residents.

≤ Residents who don’t have access to the internet or who need assistance navigating the vaccine scheduling process can call the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136; press 1. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. They also can call 2-1-1.

Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine.

LMAS provides update

The Luce-Mackinac-Alger-Schoolcraft District Health Department announced that 46 confirmed COVID-19 cases were added in the four counties between March 10 and 28.

Probable cases have risen by 37 for a total increase of 83. For comparison, the 21-day period from Feb. 3-24 saw confirmed cases rise by 17 and probable cases increase by 22 for a total of 39 new cases.

LMAS noted that the 18-day period in March is a 113% increase as compared to the 21-day period in February. Looking at only confirmed cases, the March period has had a 170% increase in the four counties.

LMAS said it has received calls from businesses and individuals this month concerned about people not following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to continue to wear masks when in public places, stay home when they don’t feel well and get tested when they show symptoms of COVID or were concerned they might have been exposed.

Also this month, the U.P. had confirmation of the first cases of the B.1.1.7 variant, which is more infectious.

With the U.P. variant cases having no connections to each other, LMAS said this is an indication of community spread and a time to remain serious about following the protocols to avoid the risk of more infections and more hospitalizations.

The good news is that Michigan is not seeing a lot of cases in people who are age 65 and older, likely due to vaccination rates in that age group, it said. The not-good news, according to LMAS, is that hospitalizations for COVID are up across the state, with more than 30% of those hospitalizations now among people age 50 and younger.

It also said that the 50-and-under age group is showing more vaccine hesitancy than the older groups.

“The vaccines are safe and effective,” said Kerry Ott, LMAS public information officer, in a news release. “The vaccines are working as can be seen in the 65-and-older population in Michigan, across the United States and in other countries.

“Whether you are fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, still unsure about getting vaccinated, are unable to be vaccinated or choose to not be vaccinated, we still need you to help take care of each other by continuing to mask and social distance in public places or with people who do not live in your immediate household.”

The more transmissible B.1.1.7 variant has made vaccination efforts “a race against time,” she said. “Whatever choice you make, make sure it is based on science and from reliable sources.”

Those sources include CDC.gov, NIH.gov and MDHHS.gov/coronavirus. For a non-partisan Michigan source, visit BridgeMI.com.

Schoolcraft participates in pilot

Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital in Manistique has administered vaccines as one of 22 pilot sites selected by the MDHHS and Protect Michigan Commission to receive doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to encourage more equitable vaccine distribution.

Schoolcraft Memorial was chosen as the only site in the Upper Peninsula of the program whose purpose, according to the MDHHS, is to help remove barriers to vaccine access for Michiganders 60 and older who live in communities with high Social Vulnerability Index and high COVID-19 mortality rates. SVI uses census data to identify places where a community may have more difficulty preventing human suffering and financial loss in a disaster. It assesses the extent that 15 known indicators are present within a community based on socioeconomic status, family composition and disability, minority status and language, housing and transportation.

Sara Giles, Schoolcraft Memorial marketing director, said the hospital distributed 465 doses out of the allotment of 500 Moderna vaccines within the required two-week period.

The remaining doses will be distributed to other participants, she said. Also, the individuals receiving the original doses will receive their second shots as well, with 500 more doses to be delivered.

Giles noted that Schoolcraft County was already “ahead of the game,” with many people over age 50 receiving vaccinations.

“It was actually a lot harder to target because so many of our target population had already received the vaccine,” Giles said.

It helped, too, that the community came together to help with the pilot program.

“You found you got it on Monday,” she said. “We had our first clinic on a Wednesday, so we had to get the word out quick.”

The hospital then had to use different call lists from various agencies.

“We had people knocking on doors, hanging up flyers in our downtown area in some of our low-income housing areas,” Giles said.

Schoolcraft worked with Meals on Wheels to get flyers delivered to homebound seniors, she said, while it partnered with public transit to reach individuals with transportation barriers in getting rides to appointments.

“It’s a really great community effort with really short turnaround,” Giles said.

Tribe holding clinic

The Sault Tribe’s upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Sault Ste. Marie is scheduled for next week on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Chi Mukwa Recreation Facility (Big Bear), located at 2 Ice Circle. Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will be administered at the event.

The event is free and open to anyone age 16 and older. A parent is required for individuals under age 18. Participants also are asked to bring a photo ID. If the vaccination is a person’s second dose, participants should bring the vaccination cards provided at their first appointments.

The Sault Tribe Health Division now offers online registration for anyone interested in a COVID-19 vaccination at www.saulttribehealth.com. The registration process is an online form that allows patients to reserve their spot for a COVID-19 vaccination and allows the patient to add a site preference for Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, Escanaba, Newberry, Manistique, Munising or Hessel, or a homebound option for Sault Tribe elders unable to travel.

Once the vaccine becomes available, the health division can schedule a patient’s appointment and send an email confirmation to the address provided during registration.

If email is not available, health division staff can try texting or calling the phone number provided on the registration form. However, email is best since it allows the patients to respond to a provided link and either confirm their appointment or cancel their appointment for various reasons.

As of March 22, the Sault Tribe Health Division has administered 9,028 COVID-19 vaccinations.

Memories to be shared

Northern Michigan University, the Peter White Public Library, Marquette Arts and Culture Center and Marquette Regional History Center are working together to document personal experiences during the COVID-19 crisis. Individuals are asked to share stories, artwork and music about how they have been affected by the pandemic so they can be preserved for future generations.

Stories may be submitted at https://lis.nmu.edu/pandemic/form/collection-form, where they also may be viewed. For more details, contact the PWPL’s reference desk at refdesk@pwpl.info.

State officials note 4 million mark

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist on Monday issued statements after Michigan reached a milestone with the COVID-19 vaccine:

“This weekend, Michigan surpassed 4 million doses administered of the safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines,” Whitmer said. “Our rollout continues to pick up steam and we will not rest until we reach our goal of equitably vaccinating 70% of Michiganders ages 16 and up. Michigan continues to make significant strides — administering 4 million vaccines in less than four months — as we work to ensure every Michigander has access to the vaccine.”

In line with President Joe Biden’s goals, Whitmer noted that all Michiganders age 16 and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine starting Monday.

“We will emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever and celebrate Independence Day together with friends and family. We will become the state that beat this damn virus,” she said.

To date, Michigan has administered 4,126,550 vaccines, moving the state closer to its goal of equitably vaccinating at least 70% of Michiganders ages 16 and older as soon as possible. For 34 days, the state has passed its goal of administrating 50,000 shots per day.

“We continue to meet or exceed our goals as more and more Michiganders become eligible to get the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine,” Gilchrist said. “With every vaccine administered, we get one step closer to eliminating this deadly virus once and for all.

“I’m asking every Michigander to make a plan to get the vaccine when it is your turn. We can all be part of the solution that saves lives and helps us get back to normal. Soon we will be able to see and hug our friends, families and loved ones, but for now we must continue taking smart precautions like wearing a mask, social distancing and washing our hands.”

Whitmer and Gilchrist will receive COVID-19 vaccines when they become eligible under the next phase of vaccine administration guidelines.