DETROIT – Michigan’s COVID-19 numbers getting national attention.
According to New York Times, seven of the ten top metro areas in the nation with the worst COVID surges are in Michigan.
However, so far there have not been any new recent restrictions, which is in stark contrast to what Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration did in November of last year when it announced the pause to save lives.
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There is hope that expanding vaccines will result in better numbers next month.
“We have to keep an eye on these numbers, we know that and we’re watching them very closely. But again with all the metrics working together we believe at this point we can continue on a vaccine strategy while maintaining all of the limitations that we have in place,” said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director, Elizabeth Hertel.
There’s hope that as more people become vaccinated the surge lessens, but there is certainly another metric at play.
“I would say after they fired their first director and before Hertel got in the seat they have done their polling. They know how unpopular it is and they know that they’re losing support among suburban women voters especially suburban women who have children in high school,” said Dennis Darnoi, a political strategist.
And then there is what the governor alluded to last week, the COVID fatigue in the state is real.
“She said it when she was here in Oakland County, she fears that people just aren’t going to listen and their hope is that they can out vaccinate,” said Darnoi.