Whitmer appoints Vail to ‘Protect Michigan’ commission

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed dozens of people to the new Protect Michigan Commission this week — including Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail — to help raise awareness and educate residents about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinations.

The appointees, who have diverse backgrounds, are tasked with reinforcing the importance of vaccines, identifying barriers to their distribution and targeting areas or groups of people that are likely to be hesitant to get shots when they become available.

On Tuesday, Vail said that she was “honored” to be a part of the Protect Michigan Commission.

In related news…

State officials have tracked at least 17 cases of a more contagious European variant of the COVID-19 virus, emphasizing the importance of COVID-19 testing as more and more variant cases pop up in Michigan, including in Wayne, Washtenaw and Oakland counties.

The B117 variant spreads more easily between people, and there is some indication  it is more severe compared to the SARS- CoV-2 virus that has been circulating across the country for more than a year. However, health experts say that masking, social distancing and frequent hand washing are effective protections.

State health officials have also suggested that herd immunity will be more difficult to attain given the spread of the new variant. Instead of needing to inoculate 70%, it’s thought that 90% or more must be vaccinated.

An audit released this week faulted the state of Michigan’s purchasing agency for a lack of financial controls in the way it spent tens of millions of dollars to purchase personal protective equipment and other supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, reports the Detroit Free Press.

The audit found that state employees were allowed to share state credit cards and wired tens of millions of dollars to suppliers before the requested goods were received — ultimately showcasing an increased risk for fraud, waste and loss of funds, according to the report. Still, a review of billions in state purchases showed that the funds were still spent appropriately.

At least 21 shipments of COVID-19 vaccines that were shipped Jan. 17 have been ruined after they were stored at too cold of a temperature during the shipping process, state officials announced last week. The cause of the shipping issue remained under investigation this week while distributors worked to quickly repack additional vaccines to replace the damaged batch.

Meanwhile, a lack of internet or unreliable service has made it difficult for rural residents and senior citizens to sign up for coronavirus vaccine appointments, reports the Lansing State Journal. Some residents have also complained about an inability to schedule via the phone.

More than $250,000 in relief for restaurant owners and workers will be made available this month through a partnership between the state and the nonprofit One Fair Wage. The program, called High Road Kitchens, offers funding for full-service restaurants to hire or rehire workers and feed those in need. In return, participants are asked to transition to paying better wages and increasing equity through hiring and training practices. Visit highroadkitchen.com for details.

An order that requires face masks be worn in all indoor and outdoor public spaces across most of downtown East Lansing was renewed this week through at least February. Violations, are punishable by a civil fine of up to $25.