Omicron variant detected in school community.

COVID cases have decreased over the past week on U-M's Ann Arbor campus, officials say.

Mask mandates in schools have become a controversial topic.

The Washtenaw County Health Department expects to announce a mask mandate later this week.

Technicians have been busy replacing water meters around the city of Ann Arbor over the past year.

A new poll by the University of Michigan reveals what parents around the country are worried about heading into the 2021-2022 school year.

As K-12 schools prepare to resume in-person learning in Michigan and across the nation this fall, many are discussing whether children should be required to wear face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Beaumont Health provided an update to reinforce what other healthcare institutions and public health officials have said about using masks to protect against COVID as students prepare to head back into the classroom.

Students return to class at U-M on Aug. 30.

U-M has launched a new dashboard that tracks student vaccination rates.

(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)LANSING, Mich. – Michigan health officials are urging residents to continue wearing face masks, even after receiving coronavirus vaccinations. Officials with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are encouraging people, even those who have been vaccinated against the virus, to wear face coverings to prevent COVID-19 spread and infection. The data shows the importance of wearing a mask correctly and making sure it fits snugly over the mouth and nose. Officials recommend doubling up by wearing a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask, a nylon covering over a mask or a mask fitter. AdMichigan residents in need of a face mask can contact their local Community Action Agency or local DHHS office for one.

DEARBORN, Mich. – The Dearborn Police Department and the Dearborn Fire Departments are leaving bags of face masks on the porches of Dearborn households. The first responders are starting in areas of Dearborn with the highest number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases. Police and fire began delivering the masks on Wednesday. They are leaving 10 masks per household on porches in east Dearborn neighborhoods and the “geographic area commonly known as The South End of Dearborn.”I assure residents that these masks are legitimate and safe to use Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr.Any residents with questions can call the mayor’s office at 313-943-2300. They can also call the police department 24 hours a day at 313-943-2241.

LANSING, Mich. – On the day that Michigan hospital systems banded together to put out the alert on the rise of COVID-19 cases, Gov. ‘No area of the state is spared’: How COVID-19 is trending in all 8 Michigan regionsA spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said “Sen. As state officials announce 6,000 new COVID-19 cases daily in Michigan, hospitalizations are starting to trend in wrong direction. During a virtual discussion with the presidents and CEOS of major Michigan health systems, the most pressing concern isn’t space, but staff availability. COVID-19 cases in Michigan are at an all-time high, and Gov.

The Michigan Supreme Court decided Friday that a law from 1945 is unconstitutional, impacting months of orders made by Gov. According to the court, those orders are no longer enforceable. Whitmer says her existing orders will remain in effect for at least 21 days, but some are arguing that Whitmer has no legal basis to continue enforcing emergency orders following the court’s decision. We want to know: As a Michigan resident, will you continue to wear a face mask in public spaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19 -- even if you are not required to by law? Take the quick poll below, then tell us why:Read more

A new emergency health order is requiring Oakland County residents to wear face masks anytime they leave their home in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Oakland County Health Officer Leigh-Anne Stafford issued an emergency health order Saturday that requires residents to wear face masks or coverings at any location apart from their home. “Oakland County was hit hard by COVID-19 and the virus is still in our communities,” Stafford said. In Oakland County masks will continue to be mandatory by order of our health experts. I am confident that our residents and businesses will continue to keep each other safe and protected.”Click here to read the entire Oakland County health order.

By now, wearing a face mask when you’re out and about or around crowds of people should be nothing new. Here’s what the WHO had to say about using a fabric mask:Wash your hands before putting on the mask. If you need to use the mask again, hold it at the elastic loops when removing it from the bag. If hot water is not available, wash the mask in soap or detergent and room-temperature water, followed by either boiling the mask for 1 minute OR; by soaking the mask in 0.1% chlorine for 1 minute and thoroughly rinsing the mask with room-temperature water (there should not be any toxic residue of chlorine on the mask). Make sure you’re continuing to socially distance yourself from people who aren’t in your household, keep washing those hands and try to avoid touching your face as much as possible.

DETROIT – In a press conference Thursday, Local 4′s Rod Meloni asked what information was being used to support the determination that masks would be required for student athletes on the field. It’s important to change out masks for a fresh one when sensible, or to use a fabric that wicks moisture and dries quickly. Executive Order 180 requires face coverings to be worn by student athletes when actively participating, except during cross country, golf, tennis, swimming and diving. This includes all times during active participation and all times during non-active participation when six feet of physical distance cannot be maintained. Face coverings must be worn by coaches, medical staff, game event staff, members of the media and spectators.

GROSSE POINTE, Mich. – With fall sports back on track, players and coaches are adjusting to wearing masks while playing after an Executive Order mandated masks be worn during play. Gretchen Whitmer almost a week after she allowed contact sports to resume practices this week and games starting next week. Maccagone said his biggest issue was what to do with his mouth guard, which attaches to his helmet face mask. In response to the mask mandate, members of the group, Let Them Play, started a petition, calling the masks during play “incredibly dangerous” and want the order removed. Whitmer took questions Thursday about the mask order including which science she was using to back up the order.

Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Wednesday in regards to face coverings for organized sports. The COVID-19 virus is easily spread through airborne particles and can affect everyone differently. Gyms reopened Wednesday with restrictions that gym goers must wear a face covering at all times, including during exercise, and create workout stations or implement protocols to allow six feet of distance between everyone inside. "Since contact sports pose a high risk of transmitting COVID-19, MDHHS recommends that people should choose to avoid them. MDHHS' guidance recommends mitigation measures organized sports teams may take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 during training, practices, and competitions.

The face covering rules for athletes playing organized sports during the coronavirus pandemic in Michigan needed some clarification. Ice rinks have been issuing their own face mask rules now that they are allowed to reopen for organized sports. Previous mask orders in MichiganExecutive Order 2020-147 reiterates that individuals are required to wear a face covering whenever they are in an indoor public space. Executive Order 2020-164 requires children and workers to wear face masks at Michigan childcare centers, camps and schools. All staff members and children ages 2 and older have to wear face coverings on school buses and other transportation.

DETROIT – Researchers are learning more about what makes a cloth mask more effective against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). A new study in the medical journal, Thorax, indicates that layers are essential and that having at least two is better than one layer. Researchers in Australia tested the effectiveness of the CDC recommended one or two layer cloth mask coverings and a three-ply surgical mask. Based on their tests, the researchers said homemade masks should contain multiple layers. Another way to improve a cloth mask is to select one with a pocket that can hold a filter.

Gretchen Whitmers recent Executive Order requires face masks in public places. Executive Order 2020-147 said that individuals are required to wear a face covering whenever they are in an indoor public space. Retailers like Walmart have a lot of influence on customers across the country as we deal with safety precautions amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. READ: Michigan businesses required to enforce new mask mandateWalmart and Sams Club are requiring customers to wear masks. The rule goes into effect on Monday at 5,000 Walmart and Sams Club locations nationwide.

DETROIT Now that face coverings are a requirement in Michigan, more people are interested in whether face shields might be a suitable alternative to masks. Face coverings are widely accepted by the scientific community as one of the tools that decrease the transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19). In certain cases, face shields might be acceptable. Researchers used a cough simulator and found that face shields reduced a persons exposure to large cough droplets by 96%. The bottom line is that if a person cant tolerate a mask or there is an important need to see someones facial expressions, face shields can be useful options.

DETROIT Public health officials strongly recommend using face coverings to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), but not all masks are created equal. To demonstrate the differences between masks, researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University created a visual simulation. READ: How people ignoring safety measures, packing into bars has led to COVID-19 spikeResearchers werent trying to create the perfect model of droplet and aerosol spread through masks. They also showed the effect a light breeze had on the aerosol spread. A homemade stitched fabric mask did a much better job of reducing the amount of aerosol spread into the air.