Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently explained that the recent surge in coronavirus cases is partly the result of a Michigan Supreme Court ruling that struck down a key law she used to fight the pandemic.
What We Know:
- In October, the Michigan Supreme Court deemed the Emergency Powers of Governors Act of 1945 as unconstitutional. The legislation was Whitmer’s main tool that allowed her to issue emergency orders to address the pandemic. Whitmer has stated her new strategy in combatting the surge has been by massively increasing and “urging,” not ordering, people to wear masks. In recent months, Whitmer has voluntarily eased coronavirus restrictions despite rising case numbers.
- Whitmer reassured her community on Sunday that Michigan still has “strong measures to keep people safe.” All Michigan residents 16 and up are eligible to be vaccinated as of April 5th. Average daily infections in Michigan are now five times the amount they were six weeks ago. New data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services show this dramatic surge is due to cases spiking among children and teenagers.
- Since February 19th, average daily COVID-19 cases among children under 10 jumped 230%. The second-highest increase in infections is in the 10 to 19 age group, which saw cases rise 227%. According to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 64,000 new cases in children were reported nationwide between March 18th and March 25th.
- 40% of new outbreaks have come from either K-12 schools or youth programs. The rise in cases can be linked to the reopening of schools and youth sports. Some children are developing a condition called multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) after COVID-19 infection. It is a rare condition that may affect the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.
Officials are confident that the research on COVID-19 vaccines for children is making progress despite the rise in pediatric cases and their contribution to community spread.
