Michigan has not seen a full lockdown since summer and with our state transitioning into winter, officials have seen a relapse in the state’s data records of the virus. Followed by the cooling months, the amount of testing has increased alongside more tests returning positive. This is due to most people now stuck in close quarters with others and without decent airflow like in our recent summer months.
Though we have not fallen into total lockdown like back in spring and summer, Governor Whitmer and the MDHHS have ruled that Michigan will see partial shutdowns to flatten the curve of the rising Covid cases. We have been in partial lockdown for a few weeks currently and that order has now been extended for 12 more days, through December 20th. This has created state wide disturbances with the closing of high schools and colleges, mandatory work from home if possible, and most notably because of the ban on inside dining for restaurants.
It is no surprise that this has happened again, but many are confused as to why lockdowns are targeting restaurants instead of or including big box stores and even factories where close contact among people are more common and frequent. With the health regulations restaurants had to follow to keep their doors open, social distancing was greatly in play and people wonder if restaurants are appropriately being shut down with recent data to prove cases are spiking because of them. Across Michigan more restaurants are on the brink of permanently closing because of the continuous ban on dining in with less people ordering takeout, which many businesses rely on in times like these.
With the extension of Michigan’s partial lockdown, officials have reported that it is necessary to stomp the curve of hospitalizations. Michigan has seen a dramatic increase of people needing hospital assistance in the last few months due to the virus and the importance of keeping our hospitals from overflowing again is extreme. Data from the MDHHS has proven that this quarantine period has helped slowly flatten the number of hospitalizations and daily reported cases, but the number is still sitting higher than officials need to see.
Come December 20th, if cases have not seen a decline Whitmer has stated that she’s not afraid to extend it again, but of the off chance our partial lockdown will come to an end, high schools and colleges will be the first to return to their “normal” state, like before this period. It all depends on the state’s numbers and if officials believe it is safe to open up more venues.
Winter is always a difficult time when people are forced inside due to the cold. We rely on availability of indoor activities for entertainment, though when that becomes out of reach for us with theatres, casinos, bowling alleys, and more closed, it becomes increasingly harder to deal with. For most of us our only option is staying home and day after day we begin to feel the effects of isolation and stagnation. It is ever so important we continue to make our lives as normal as possible. Waking up at regular times, getting dressed, eating healthy, and keeping our bodies moving is crucial to fighting through these times. We are creatures of routine and now more than ever we need to remember our habits before the pandemic and follow through with them.
As 2020 comes to a close, the Covid vaccine has begun circling in Great Britain and the FDA is being cautious to release it in the United States. It has been reported the United States has purchased less than the recommended amount that Operation Warp Speed has suggested to kick start the nationwide vaccination schedule, and we may not be able to purchase more doses till 2021’s summer months.