Well being division particulars vaccine security; VA providing appointments | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

By Mitch Rapp On Feb 12, 2021

MARQUETTE – The Marquette County Health Department assures the public that the current COVID-19 vaccines are safe.

Dr. Bob Lorinser, MCHD’s medical director, said in a press release that early safety data from the first month of the COVID-19 vaccination indicated the shots were as safe as studies had suggested. “Concerns about vaccine-related deaths were not seen, especially given the vulnerable aging populations receiving the vaccine and recent press articles.” Said Lorinser.

He said that several cases mentioned in the press are being assessed in more detail, but causality is difficult to determine. According to the CDC, around 4% of 65 year olds die in their next year of life.

Given that millions of people are receiving the vaccine, Lorinser said some will die within days or weeks from reasons that may or may not be related to COVID-19.

In the US, there are an average of 5,800 deaths per day in this age group, compared to one or two deaths in Marquette County.

“The COVID vaccine is becoming one of the most studied and studied vaccines in history, and so far the data supports its safety and effectiveness.” Said Lorinser.

Of the 75,000 people in COVID studies, none died in the vaccinated group compared to 150 in the placebo group, and few in the vaccine group were hospitalized, up from hundreds in the placebo group, he said.

“I call that success” Said Lorinser.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the first 22 million people vaccinated did not experience serious problems.

The MCHD said data was collected from:

≤ V-Safe, where vaccinated people report their symptoms in text; Only 10% of vaccine recipients report this data.

≤ the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which allows recipients and healthcare professionals to report adverse reactions to vaccinations. The program was not developed to assess causality, but rather quickly detects safety signals that can be further evaluated.

More than 9,000 people reported side effects, and just over 1,000 of these reports were classified as serious. Most of the complaints related to tiredness, headache, dizziness, nausea, chills, fever and pain.

≤ and Vaccine Safety Datalink Rapid Cycle Analysis, which examines medical records from nine participating health organizations, including data on over 12 million people per year. More than 162,000 people in the system have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination.

Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, deputy director of the CDC immunization safety office, briefed a CDC advisory committee on the agency’s review dates on Jan. 27, the MCHD said.

The main findings of this report include:

≤ More than 70% reported pain, 33% tiredness, 30% headache and around 11% chills, fever, swelling or joint pain.

≤ Vaccinated people have suffered severe health emergencies and even death within a few days of receiving a shot, but the rate of these events is no higher than expected in the general population and cannot be associated with the vaccine.

≤ There is no increased risk of any of the top 20 medical conditions, which include heart attack, appendicitis, embolism, and diseases caused by low platelet counts. In the vaccinated group, four people report Bell palsy, a form of facial paralysis seen in a small number of people in each vaccine study. There were 348 cases in the unvaccinated group;

≤ There was little difference in reported adverse reactions between the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines and;

≤ People generally had a harder time getting the second dose than the first dose.

In an article on Tuesday, the Detroit News reported that by Monday, 10 of the 15 counties in Michigan with the highest first-dose vaccination rates per 100,000 residents were in the Upper Peninsula.

The story said the UP benefited in part because health department officials said some counties had cold storage facilities available at the beginning of the sales process, so counties were eligible for Pfizer’s first shipments in mid-December.

Because Pfizer only ships vaccines in packages with a minimum dose of 975 doses, several UP districts received shipments that were larger than many other similarly populated districts.

VA center takes appointments

Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center is soliciting registered veterans who would like the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to call and make an appointment. Eligible Veterans can call 906-774-3300 Monday through Friday between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM EST and dial extension 33115 to speak to a planner.

At the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities at Iron Mountain, Ironwood, Hancock, and Sault Ste. Marie.

Iron Mountain VA announced that it received vaccines in mid-December and has given veterans and staff more than 4,500 vaccines. The facility has contacted veterans using the latest CDC guidelines for prioritization and is now opening clinics for veterans who want to call and schedule an appointment.

These vaccination clinics are open to any veteran who is enrolled and participating in VA services.

Bar’s alcohol license suspended

Based on an investigative report received from the Enforcement Division of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, an emergency suspension of a Class C license and specially designated dealer licenses was granted for the wood-nickel bar located at 1751 Presque Isle Ave., Marquette.

A post-suspension hearing is scheduled for February 19 at 10 a.m. through Zoom to determine whether to continue the suspension or apply other fines and penalties.

According to the report, the licensee is Irie Vibes, Inc.

A document from the MLCC states that a sergeant and an officer from the Marquette City Police Department found an alleged violation of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services order regarding face masks and social gatherings on Feb.2 have patrol.

Marquette Police then inspected the bar and noticed about 60 people inside, which was more than 25% of the advertised seating capacity of 66 people. The premises were occupied well after the curfew at 10 p.m., officials said. Officials said they observed how many patrons stood and mingle, many gathered in a common area, and no patrons or staff members wearing face masks, the report said.

Marquette Police conducted an inspection of the wood nickel around midnight on February 4 and observed 40 to 50 people inside, with the premises reoccupied after curfew at 10 p.m., according to the report. They also noticed patrons standing and mingling and gathering in a common room, and again patrons and staff did not wear face masks, officials said.

Marquette police also observed the bar violating MDHHS orders on Jan. 1 and 16, according to the report.

Food aid available

Approximately 350,000 families in Michigan will continue to have access to additional food aid this month to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MDHHS said Thursday.

The state previously approved the additional food aid from last March. It is now being extended this month with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Food and Nutrition.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect virtually every aspect of our lives, the last thing families in Michigan should worry about is being able to afford their groceries every week.” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “Michiganders deserve peace of mind when they know that resources are available to help them during this time. So I’m grateful that we can continue to provide this vital support to families across the state.”

Eligible customers will receive additional food aid benefits on their Bridge Card through February 28th. Payments for some households start on Thursday. Additional benefits are loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the support provided earlier in the month.

“Expanding these food aid benefits is part of the division’s ongoing effort to help Michiganders put food on the table during the pandemic.” MDHHS director Elizabeth Hertel said in a statement. “We will continue to work with our partners in the federal government to provide easy access to nutritious food.”

More than 1.2 million people in Michigan receive federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits under the federal nutritional assistance program.

Households eligible for Food Assistance Program benefits will receive additional benefits this month to bring all current SNAP cases to the maximum monthly allowance for this group size. This change only applies to customers who are not currently receiving the maximum benefit amount.

The 350,000 households receiving higher benefits represent more than 50% of the 690,000 Michigan households that received food aid in September, according to the MDHHS. The other households are already receiving the maximum benefit.

The federal government is providing additional funding to states for food aid under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Eligible families do not need to reapply to receive the additional benefits. Individuals receiving food aid can check their balance on their Michigan Bridge cards by going online at www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or by calling a toll-free customer service representative at 888-678-8914. You can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing your agent.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is [email protected].