Parents concerned over return to school after holiday break
On the heels of a break for the holidays, Michigan students are finally getting ready to make the return to in person learning.
However, because of where we are with COVID-19 some parents are saying that we may really need to pump on the breaks. But U.S. education secretary Miguel Cardinal insists that students should have in-person learning despite another COVID surge caused largely by the omicron variant.
“We’ve been very clear,” Cardinal said. “Our expectation is for schools to be open full-time for students for in-person learning. We remember the impact of school closures on students last year, and our science is better. We have better tools. We have a $10 billion American rescue plan for surveillance testing, vaccinations are available now for children ages five and up.”
But parents we’re speaking to believe the total opposite. Read more here.
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MDHHS to Michigan schools: More COVID action needed as students, staff return after break
Michigan’s health department is urging Michigan schools to double-down on preventative measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 as students and staff return to buildings after the holiday break.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Department of Education (MDE) are sending a letter to superintendents with recommendations, intended to keep school buildings open and allow students and staff to return to school safely after winter break.
The guidance comes as Michigan set a new record for daily COVID cases on Wednesday, and the U.S. set a record for daily cases this week, as the omicron variant rapidly spreads.
About 20% of the 5-11 age group has at least one dose, About 45% of the 12-29 age group has at least one dose, and about 51% of the 16-19 age group has at least one dose. All three of those numbers are below the national average.
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2 killed, 1 critically injured in stabbing at Shelby Township home
Two men were killed and a woman was critically injured in a stabbing at a Shelby Township home.
Officers responded to a 911 call about a stabbing at a home at 8 a.m. Sunday (Jan. 2) on Woodall Street near Auburn Road in Shelby Township.
When officers arrived they heard a woman inside screaming for help and they forced entry into the home, police said. When officers got into the home they found two men and one woman who had each been stabbed multiple times.
Weather forecast: Dangerous cold, snow later this week
COVID in Michigan 🦠
Michigan reported 25,858 new cases of COVID-19 and 338 virus-related deaths Wednesday -- an average of 12,929 cases over a two-day period, a new state record for daily cases, in the final data update of 2021.
The previous record of 9,779 new cases in one day was set in Nov. 2020. Of the 338 deaths announced Wednesday, 232 were identified during a review of records.
Wednesday’s update brings the total number of confirmed COVID cases in Michigan to 1,507,338, including 26,988 deaths. These numbers are up from 1,481,480 cases and 26,650 deaths, as of Monday.
Note: Due to the holiday, the state did not provide a data update on Friday. The next update is expected on Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.
Read the latest COVID report here.