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Morning Briefing Aug. 17, 2021: What Metro Detroit teachers expect upcoming school year to look like, sources say US will recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months

Here are this morning’s top stories

Wearing a mask to protect against the spread of COVID-19, kindergarten teacher Amber Ximenz prepares her classroom at Southside Independent School District, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Sources: US to recommend COVID vaccine boosters at 8 months

U.S. health experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot, to ensure lasting protection against the coronavirus as the delta variant spreads across the country.

Read more here.


💉 Detroit to offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots starting today


Back to school: Teachers share expectations for COVID school year ahead

With most students and educators returning to in-person learning this fall amid the ongoing pandemic, several questions still remain about how things will operate in the classroom.

Local 4′s Nick Monacelli sat down with a group of Metro Detroit teachers to learn more about their expectations for the upcoming school year, and how they plan to handle certain situations.

See what they had to say here.


2021 Detroit Jazz Festival shifting to virtual event due to Hart Plaza construction, COVID concerns

The Detroit Jazz Festival will be a virtual event again this year as organizers scrap plans for an in-person concert weekend citing Hart Plaza construction and the ongoing COVID pandemic.

The festival’s virtual format will be streamed and broadcast “live” for free this Labor Day weekend. It begins on Friday, Sept. 3 and runs through Monday, Sept. 6.

Learn more here.


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Amid new virus surge, Florida skeptics reconsider vaccines

A spike in infections could be pushing more people to get shots in Florida. State health data shows that nearly 4,400 people got vaccinated in Nassau County in the three-week period ending Aug. 12 -- enough to increase the county’s total vaccinations by nearly 11%.

Some residents have been skeptics from the beginning, but are changing their minds.

Read more here.


‘We saved someone’s life’: Detroit officer explains decision to flee active shooting

A Detroit police officer who was suspended after being shown on video appearing to flee the scene of a shooting says it was the only option.

The video shows a man pull out a gun and start firing right before Detroit police officers appear to flee.

See the report here.


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Sterling Heights police want to question man in connection with shooting

Sterling Heights police are asking for help in identifying a man wanted for questioning in relation to a shooting that occurred at the end of last year.

Learn more here.


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COVID in Michigan 💉

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 922,687 as of Monday, including 20,030 deaths, state officials report.

Monday’s update includes a total of 3,554 new cases and 19 additional deaths over a three-day period -- an average of 1,184.67 cases per day. Of the 19 new deaths reported, eight were identified during a review of records.

On Friday, the state announced a total of 919,133 cases and 20,011 deaths.

Testing has dropped to around 10,000 diagnostic tests reported per day on average, with the 7-day positive rate at 7.66% as of Monday, slightly higher than the previous week. The positive test rate has been steadily climbing since the end of June, when it was at its lowest. Hospitalizations have been slowly increasing for the last two weeks.

Cases are rising again in Michigan. The state’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 1,352 on Monday -- a significant jump since the beginning of July. The 7-day death average was 9 on Monday. The state’s fatality rate is 2.2%. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 25,000 on Friday.

Michigan has reported more than 9.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered as of Thursday, with 64.7% of 16+ residents having received at least one dose while 56.3% of 16+ residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Here’s a look at more of the data:


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About the Author
Cassidy Johncox headshot

Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.

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