Nursing facilities across much of Michigan were devastated by COVID-19, but roughly 200 homes have dodged the virus. Their strategies can help public health experts develop best practices for the next outbreak.
Michigan Health Watch
In-depth reporting on the intersection between public policy and important health topics ‒ such as insurance coverage, hospital admissions, opioid abuse, access to care, medical research and the business of health care ‒ that impact nearly every Michigan resident.
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Michigan coronavirus cases rise. Here’s why we are not Texas or Florida.
Case increases in Michigan bear watching but the state is not yet experiencing the explosion seen in the South and West. Here are the metrics public health experts follow to mark the virus’ arc in Michigan.
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A Michigan guide to wearing masks, or not, during coronavirus
Do masks work? Do disability or medical privacy laws allow me to enter a store without one? Michigan researchers, doctors and a lawyer weigh in on the much-debated mask mandate.
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As Michigan COVID cases soar, infected residents won’t cooperate with tracers
State officials say a third of people contacted by tracers are refusing to say who they’ve potentially exposed, helping fuel a recent jump in coronavirus cases that has Michigan health officials worried.
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Violence erupts in Michigan over state mask mandate ‘powder keg’
Tensions are boiling over as confrontations increase over Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s mask rule designed to contain COVID-19 becomes “the number one anxiety-producing pain point for retailers right now.”
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Across Michigan, coronavirus contact tracers face lies, anger and silence
Disheartened by images of raucous crowds ignoring safety measures, some health officials wonder if contact tracing — long a trusted tactic in controlling infectious diseases — may be losing its usefulness.
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Huge drop in Michigan vaccinations scares experts during coronavirus
Michigan vaccinations in May were down 46 percent, raising health concerns about the flu and other illnesses. More troubling: rates for children 9 to 18 were down 66 percent, casting doubt on whether they will be allowed to enroll in school in the fall.
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Michigan’s newest headache: Young adults are driving coronavirus growth
Industries that serve the vulnerable see risky behaviors among young workers, but say they’re limited on what they can do.
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Computer pad can help Michigan seniors use telehealth during coronavirus
Metro Detroit seniors are embracing online doctor visits using a customized tablet that makes technology less intimidating. It could prove a model for seniors increasingly dependent on telehealth to visit doctors.
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Michigan hospital: Our coronavirus test gives results in minutes, not days
Researchers at Beaumont Health say they are using technology they first developed to detect the zika virus. The test, which has yet to win FDA approval, is reliable, inexpensive and easier to administer, researchers say.