CONTACT TRACING

DETROIT – Several Detroit Lions coaches must stay away from the team facility until further notice as part of a COVID-19 contact tracing process, the team announced Wednesday. When Matt Patricia was let go as the Lions’ head coach, Darrell Bevell became the team’s interim coach. Now, with two positive COVID cases inside the organization, the Lions might need an interim-interim coach for Saturday’s game against the Buccaneers. Through contact tracing, several coaches are considered close contacts per NFL policy, including interim head coach Bevell. A coach for Saturday’s game has yet to be determined as the Lions and the league continue to communicate.

Detroit Lions interim head coach Darrell Bevell stands in the end zone before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on December 13, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. DETROIT – The Detroit Lions will have several coaches remain away from the team facility until further notice as part of a COVID-19 contact tracing process, the team announced Wednesday. This update comes after the Lions shut down their team facility Tuesday after two people within the organization tested positive for COVID-19. There were no new positive COVID test results on Wednesday, the team said, but several coaches will have to stay away from the facility for now. As a result of the contact tracing process, several coaches will remain away from the team facility until further notice.

Michigan is expanding its COVID-19 exposure app for residents to use statewide after a successful pilot program in October. “Using MI COVID Alert on your cell phone is a simple, safe step that everyone can take to protect themselves and their loved ones. Michigan worked with Apple and Google to make MI COVID Alert compatible with similar apps in other states. The exposure notification feature included in recent iOS and Android operating system updates only works with a companion app like MI COVID Alert. How to download:Just search “MI COVID Alert” in your app store and download it for free.

The new app, MI COVID Alert, developed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) and Michigan State University (MSU), is being tested on MSU’s campus and in surrounding communities. How it worksMI COVID Alert is a voluntary, anonymous exposure notification smartphone app available at no cost. MI COVID Alert uses low energy Bluetooth technology to detect nearby phones that also have the app. Michigan worked with Apple and Google to make MI COVID Alert compatible with similar apps in other states. How to downloadThe exposure notification feature included in recent iOS and Android operating system updates only works with a companion app like MI COVID Alert.

OXFORD, Mich. – In-person learning at Oxford Middle School has been canceled for the remainder of the week as a precautionary measure due to rising COVID-19 cases among the community. Officials announced Tuesday that students at Oxford Middle School will switch to remote learning for Oct. 7-9 as the district works with the county health department to confirm positive COVID-19 cases. “Rather than risking potential additional exposures in the interim, we are choosing to temporarily close Oxford Middle School for the remainder of the week. Oxford Middle School students are expected to engage in virtual learning for the remainder of the week. Students can return to school for in-person learning on Tuesday, Oct. 13, following an already-scheduled break on Monday, officials said.

FLINT, Mich. Authorities with Bishop International Airport in Flint announced Friday it will be the first airport in the United States to utilize Smart Helmets. The Smart Helmet, developed by Italian company KeyBiz, can detect the temperature of multiple people, run facial recognition, license plate recognition and scan QR codes. The airport said photographs can be uploaded directly to the helmet itself to allow officers to scan and detect specific faces. READ: A closer look at facial recognition technologyThe Smart Helmets uses an AI module for processing thermal images, augmented reality displays, communication sensors and advanced aerospace technology. KeyBizs Smart Helmet has already been deployed in multiple airports outside of the United States, including Leonardo da VinciFiumicino Airport in Rome -- one of the busiest airports in Europe.

Less than two weeks ago, Michigan was moved from “medium” to “high” risk for a coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak by Covid Act Now. Experts recommend that at least 90 percent of new COVID-19 cases are traced within 48 hours to contain the virus. Covid Act Now’s research shows that Michigan is still doing fairly well with COVID-19 testing. Michigan’s lowest positive test rates were seen in early June and were around 1.1 percent, according to Covid Act Now. A map of Michigan counties and their assigned COVID-19 risk levels from research led by Covid Act Now.

Michigan health officials are asking residents to pick up the phone, because it could be information related to COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, local health departments and staff from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) are reaching out to Michiganders who have tested positive as well as to the contacts of those individuals. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently issued a reminder to residents to be on alert for scammers spoofing numbers from local health departments. Local health departments and MDHHS will not:Offer medication for treatment or prevention of COVID-19. If you are concerned about a call you received from a local health department or MDHHS, please contact the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136.

While medical staff are working to save lives from COVID-19, its the contact tracers who can actually stop the spread. Benoit worked as a community health analyst until March, when she was reassigned to be a contact tracer. When tracers are unable to reach close contacts, she said it can be upsetting. Right now, were seeing that those situations are where most of our close contacts are coming from, Benoit said. We truly truly care about the health and well-being of the people that were contacting, Benoit said.

DETROIT With the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases rising slightly in Michigan, health departments are sending out alerts about potential exposure locations. How did health officials trace multiple cases back to locations? They said contact tracing is vital in fighting the spread of the coronavirus. Health officials said stopping the spread comes down to close contact without face coverings that allows droplets to infect people. Thats when the real work begins as health departments work to call those who had close contact.

The state of Michigan has now been labeled “medium risk” for coronavirus (COVID-19) spread and is no longer “on track to contain COVID,” according to data from Covid Act Now. Now Michigan is seeing a slight uptick in COVID-19 cases as much of the nation experiences case and death spikes. According to Covid Act Now Michigan currently has a low infection rate of 0.88, which means each Michigan resident infected with the virus is infecting 0.88 other people. Experts recommend that at least 90 percent of new COVID-19 cases are traced within 48 hours to contain the virus. A map of Michigan counties and their assigned COVID-19 risk levels from research led by Covid Act Now.

Officials have identified a positive coronavirus (COVID-19) patient who went to three businesses in Northern Michigan over the weekend and might have infected other people. They released the locations, dates and times of the possible exposure. Contact tracing happens when someone tests positive for the virus, and contact tracers track down close contacts that person had and places they visited during the time they might have been infections. READ: Contact tracers considered key to coronavirus battle, but what are they? Contact tracers will never ask you for your social security number, drivers license or credit card information.

But the first so-called antigen test — announced Saturday by the Food and Drug Administration — is not quite the kind sought by top government health officials. WHY IS ANTIGEN TESTING IMPORTANT? The new test uses a nasal swab like other screening tests, and delivers results in about 15 minutes. OraSure Technologies has a $710,000 federal contract to develop a saliva-based antigen test that could be performed at home. The company has antigen tests for other viruses — including HIV and Ebola — and those have accuracy rates of over 95%.

DETROIT – Michigan health officials are asking residents to pick up the phone, because it could be information related to COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, local health departments and staff from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) are reaching out to Michiganders who have tested positive as well as to the contacts of those individuals. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently issued a reminder to residents to be on alert for scammers spoofing numbers from local health departments. MDHHS wants residents to be aware of how to determine a scam call from a legitimate call from the health department. Local health departments and MDHHS will not:Offer medication for treatment or prevention of COVID-19.