Home Featured Posts Governor Whitmer Announces High School Contact Sports Can Return February 8th

Governor Whitmer Announces High School Contact Sports Can Return February 8th

637
Governor Gretchen Whitmer at today’s press conference.

Lansing, MI – February 4, 2021 – Today Governor Whitmer, along with Dr. Khaldun, Director Hertel, and Legend Junior spoke during another press conference to announce that high school contact sports can return Monday, February 8th.  Listen to the full press conference below or keep reading for a complete transcript of the conference.

Listen:

Gretchen Whitmer :
Good afternoon. Today is Thursday, February 4th. I am joined, of course, by Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Dr. J, Elizabeth Hertel, our director of health and human services, Dr. Carpy [Can 00:00:43] who is a pediatrician with IHA in Ann Arbor and Legend Geeter, who is in addition to having a wonderful name, a student athlete at River Rouge. He’s one of the Panthers and he celebrated a birthday yesterday and he’s joining us today as well. So Michigan is making encouraging progress in eliminating this virus in communities across our state. Since our last press conference, Michigan passed the 1 million mark in administering vaccines all across Michigan. We’ve administered 1,076,545 total doses as of the close of yesterday of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. So, that number is going up as we speak. Every shot in the arm is a step forward toward ending the COVID-19 pandemic once and for all and our progress so far is helping us stay track to meet our goal of equitably vaccinating 70% of our 16 and up population in Michigan.

We have made incredible strides in making these vaccines available, with every person who lives in a skilled nursing facility in Michigan that wants a vaccine having had an opportunity to receive at least a first dose. This week, we’ve also received promising news from the Biden administration, which has taken bold action to increase the vaccine supply to states and it is now at 10 and a half million doses per week nationwide with continuity and predictability for the next three weeks and I’m sure we’ll get another update next week, but that is going in the right direction.

Of course, we want more vaccines, we need more vaccines, but the trajectory and predictability is so crucial and we are grateful for that.

They’ve also announced that they are approving 100% reimbursement, retroactive coverage through August of 2020 for the Michigan National Guard to assist in our COVID-19 relief efforts. The men and women of the Guard have been incredible and absolutely critical to our state’s emergency response and relief efforts over the course of this last year with COVID. As we administer additional doses of these vaccines, the Michigan National Guard continues to play a vital role in our ability to administer these vaccines efficiently. They support mobile screening sites, testing, food distribution, and other safety protocols in public spaces all across the state.

So I’m incredibly thankful for the service of our Guard members. They’re working around the clock to help Michigan fight this pandemic and will continuing to do so and I will continue to make sure that they’ve got the support they need and resources that they deserve. Going forward, it’s critical that we continue working together on an agreement that leverages every single resource and federal dollar available to support Michigan’s communities, Michigan’s businesses, Michigan students and educators, so that we can recover from this pandemic.

I remain ready to work with anyone who wants to focus on these goals. These are not partisan goals, these are Michigan goals and while it’s important that we remain cautious and adhere to safety protocols to prevent this virus from spreading once more, thanks to our efforts over these last few months, and I mean our efforts, all of our efforts, we are now ready to take a few steps forward in returning to some normal day-to-day activities.

Today, DHHS is issuing an epidemic order to allow in-person practice and competitions for sports leagues starting on Monday, February 8th. I know these past months have been tough on all of us and I know they’ve been really hard on student athletes who’ve been missing a sense of connection and belonging, as well as the many other attributes that playing sports provides. I appreciate the passion of our young athletes and the desire that they share to get back in the game that they love.

Here in Michigan, we all love sports. It’s part of our DNA. And throughout this time we’ve been watching our numbers closely to make sure that we do achieve forward progress, and we are continuing to make it possible for students to get back into in-person learning as well, no later than March 1st is the goal. So I’m pleased to share, because of the steps that we’ve taken and because of your actions as well, our numbers are now in a place where we can allow our kids to get back in the game with their coaches and teammates.

So after receiving input from doctors, from coaches, from students, from parents and legislative leaders, today DHHS is issuing a new epi order that will allow sports teams to begin in-person practice on Monday, February 8th, as long as masks are worn at all times. Teams can also compete in person with masks if possible, or where masks are not compatible with the competition, they will be allowed to compete without masks if certain strict safety protocols are in place, including a testing regimen.

So this is exciting news, and I’m so glad that our kids are going to be able to get back into playing the sports that they love. It’s also important to remember that as we take this step, we must remain vigilant. At the end of the day, what has been the most important throughout this process in making sure that our kids can play, is that we keep them safe as they do. We don’t want them to put their own health or the health of their families at risk. It’s critical that we get this right so that our kids and educators can return to the classroom safely, so that our small businesses can stay re-engaged and our state economy can recover.

To that end, I was also pleased to sign an executive order today to create the Student Recovery Advisory Council of Michigan. As Michigan continues to work around the clock to eliminate COVID-19, the Student Recovery Advisory Council will provide guidance and recommendations to ensure Michigan students have the tools and resources they need to get back on track and back in the classroom for in-person learning.

It has been a tough 12 months almost. This pandemic will be over one day soon, but until then thousands of Michiganders still need support. That’s why it’s so crucial that the legislature join forces with me and pass the Michigan COVID Recovery Plan. The plan will ramp up vaccine distribution, support small businesses, get our students and educators back on track and that’s something I think we can all agree on is crucial.

Gretchen Whitmer :
We’ve come together to pass relief package before, and we can do it again. I look forward to working with legislative partners on both sides of the aisle to make it happen. Let’s get it done. With that, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Joneigh Khaldun.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun:
Good afternoon and thank you governor. So as of yesterday, we were at 563,893 cases and 14,704 deaths due to COVID-19 in the state. Here’s where we are with the key metrics that we are tracking. Cases are currently at 159 cases per million and have been declining steadily over the past 24 days. Three regions, Detroit, Traverse City, and the Upper Peninsula are all at less than 150 cases per million people. Our test positivity rate is also declining and is now at 4.9%. That is the lowest it has been since mid-October.

The percent of beds that are utilized by patients with COVID-19 is steadily declining as well, and is now at 6.6%. So overall, I’m pleased that we have continued to reopen our economy. Michiganders are doing their part by wearing masks, avoiding gatherings and socially distancing and because we continue to see our metrics trending in the right direction, we can move forward with allowing contact sport practices and competitions with specific public health measures in place like mask and testing.

As a former college athlete myself and the mother of three children who play sports, I know the important role that sports play in our family’s lives. But we also know that one of the most important things we can do right now is have our children be able to learn in person. As we continue to re-engage, it is critical that everyone adheres to these important public health measures so we can prevent outbreaks, not just on our sports teams-

… measures so we can prevent outbreaks, not just on our sports teams, but in our schools as well. Please everyone remain vigilant so we can keep our COVID-19 case numbers trending in the right direction. It’s also important that we continue to be careful because we have a new variant that has been identified in Michigan. This variant that I’ve spoken about before, B117, is more easily spread from person to person. If this variant becomes more common, as national experts predict it could, then we could see a very rapid rise in cases and more hospitalizations and deaths. So far, we have identified 28 cases of this new variant in Washtenaw County and Wayne County. And there will likely be more. We’re working very closely with our local health departments to make sure we are aggressively identifying any potential outbreaks and slowing the spread of this variant as much as possible.

I’m also very proud of our team at the State Bureau of Laboratories led by Dr. Sandip Shah for their national leadership in sequencing samples from across the state so we can rapidly identify these variants and slow the spread. One of the most important ways we can slow the spread and identify these new variants is by testing. So please, if you have symptoms, if you’ve been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, or if you’ve recently traveled from an area that has a known variant of this virus spreading, please do get a test. I was honored to testify in Congress this week about Michigan’s progress with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. We have made great strides with vaccinations in Michigan, announcing over a million doses administered this past Monday. Every resident and staff person in a skilled nursing facility has been offered their first dose of the vaccine. And last week, we also announced our new strategy outlining specific principles and goals that will help us end this pandemic as quickly as possible. We will continue to focus on equity and efficiency in our vaccination strategy. I’m proud of the work of our local health departments, our health systems, our pharmacies, and other partners who are doing great work to get Michiganders vaccinated. But we still do not have nearly enough vaccine to be able to get every Michigander who is currently eligible an appointment at this time. I continue to ask for your patience, but please know that everyone who wants to be vaccinated will be. And we are working to make that happen as quickly as possible.

Dr. Joneigh Khaldun:
Finally, I know that Superbowl Sunday is coming up and people will want to watch the game with family and friends. Please be mindful that we have to do this differently this year while we are still seeing so much virus in our communities. Michigan largely avoided a post-holiday surge because we all did the right thing. This Superbowl Sunday, please avoid gatherings. And if you do gather, please keep it limited to only one other household, and make sure you’re wearing a mask, socially distancing, and washing your hands frequently. So I’m proud to be a Michigander. As a state, most people are doing what they should be doing, and that is why we’ve been able to keep our cases going in the right direction. And we are saving lives. Everyone, please keep doing your part so we can end this pandemic as quickly as possible. And with that, I’ll turn it over to Director Hertel.

Director Hertel:
Thank you, Dr. Khaldun. As a parent of children involved in sports as well, I understand the interest and emotion connected to finding solutions that allow us to gradually reopen opportunities for youth sports, including their physical and mental health benefits, while keeping our kids, coaches, and families as safe as possible from COVID-19. Contact sports, like other activities where participants gather and interact in close proximity across multiple households, naturally pose a higher risk of COVID-19. And it remains our responsibility to protect public health. However, as Michigan’s COVID-19 numbers trend down and we continue to understand best practices to reduce spread in close contacts like settings, after piloting a testing program for high school teams, and announcing the MI Safe Schools testing program, we believe there are opportunities to be agile and resume youth sports with a combination of public health measures and testing in place.

Today, I signed an amended epidemic order that will allow youth contact sports to resume practice and competition with consistent masking, team testing, and other precautions beginning February 8th. This includes ice hockey, basketball, wrestling, soccer, and more. I’m excited that we are at this point where we can take this step. It is thanks to all of you who have been careful and taken steps to slow the spread of COVID-19. We know this hasn’t been easy and we thank you. And so we are counting on everyone to help make this work so we won’t eventually have to take steps backward again.

During all practices and competitions, participants are required to remain masked during play. For sports where participants can not remain masked, all participants, excuse me, must be tested consistent with the testing protocol that will be specified in the department’s guidance for athletics to be issued February 7th. This guidance will be available on our website at michigan.gov/coronavirus. Masks should be worn at all times when not playing. Participants are required to maintain six feet of distance from each other during practice, and when not engaged in competitive play.

Director Hertel:
Sports organizers, the institutions, the schools, associations, or other organizations that set and enforce rules to ensure the physical health and safety of all participants for an organized sport, must ensure that all competitions and practices comply with these requirements. And even when it is not required, sports organizers are strongly encouraged to administer a testing protocol as specified in our interim guidance for athletics. The order will be posted on our website at michigan.gov/coronavirus. We plan to release additional guidance by Monday to help teams and families prepare and comply with these new rules. This guidance will include a recommendation that attendance be limited to two spectators per athlete to reduce the risk of COVID-19. This information will also be posted on our website. And again, we are excited to be able to make this step forward. But coaches, players, parents, and even officiants, we need to work together to make this successful. It will take all of us sticking to the new rules for practice and game day. Our health and epidemiology teams will continue to monitor the data related to this order and our guidance. But with your partnership, we hope to stay on this course and avoid returning to a pause in play. This pandemic is not over yet, and it is important that we remain vigilant, but we have reason for hope. So keep masking up, keep physically distancing, and keep avoiding gatherings outside of your household. And at the same time, as trends improve, we will continue to look for ways to return to the activities that we love safely. Thank you. And with that, I will turn it over to Dr. Karthikeyan.

Dr. Omkar Karthikeyan:
Good afternoon. Thank you, Governor Whitmer, for your leadership on this issue, which is, of course, of vital importance to children and families all across Michigan. My name is Dr. Omkar Karthikeyan and I’m a pediatrician with IHA in Ann Arbor. And I’m here today to speak on the importance of providing an in-person learning option for children. Children have sacrificed disproportionately since the start of the pandemic. Back in March, as the scope of COVID-19’s impact began to come into focus, school closures are one of the very first mitigation steps taken. At the same time, virtually all sports and extracurricular activities were shut down for children as well. So in the blink of an eye, they lost their entire networks for education, exercise, and socialization. Now, this was a very sensible strategy at the time as our presumption at that point was that COVID-19 would behave like influenza does where children in schools are major drivers of its propagation. However, as we moved through the spring and into the summer, what we learned is that this is very much not the case. It became clear to us that children not only were less susceptible to contracting COVID or serious illness from COVID, but they also appeared less likely to spread it either to other children or to the adults in their lives, namely the teachers, caregivers, or even their parents. Furthermore, we learned that asymptomatic spread, which has been such a major obstacle to controlling the pandemic, does not appear to occur at the same rate in children as it does in adults. And this data has borne out through numerous rather large studies involving often thousands or even hundreds of thousands of children. And it certainly was consistent with what we were observing in our pediatric practices.

And then in the fall, as schools began to reopen their doors all across the country, what we learned was that very basic strategies like masking and social distancing worked, and that children of all ages, even as young as four or five years old, were happy to comply with this if this is what it took to get them back in school safely.

… but this is what it took to get them back in school safely. These simple steps managed to more or less prevent any significant outbreaks within the school setting. And that means between students, from students to teachers, or vice versa. And this occurred even in settings of relatively high community spread. Quite simply, schools do not appear to be super spreader environments.

Now, unfortunately, the other thing that we’ve learned in this time is the toll that school closures has taken on children. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are on the rise, as are pediatric ER visits for mental health emergencies, child abuse rates are up, childhood obesity, long known to be an epidemic particularly here in Michigan, is on the rise as children are spending less time moving their bodies and more time in front of a screen.

And all across the nation we’re beginning to understand the educational shortcomings of distance learning. In my very own family, I’ve seen my daughter’s love of learning drain from her over the course of the past year or so, since she was last able to be in-person class; and this is despite her having a teacher this year who is an absolute rockstar.

But for many families that are far less fortunate than my own, the devastation has been profound. And this has been especially true for families of color, non-English speaking families, and those who are disadvantaged economically or otherwise, many of whom simply don’t have the time, the means, or the bandwidth to engage consistently in distance learning, and have just giving up. And so we’ve seen achievement gaps growing at alarming rates.

Now, certainly there are some families for whom virtual school has been the best decision for them, but I’ve spent far more visits than I would ever want to comforting families who are hurting, with parents in tears who are despondent that they feel that they’re failing their child who’s sinking academically or drowning emotionally, or trying to preserve hope for a child who’s grown disillusioned at waiting seemingly endlessly to rejoin their friends in a classroom, something they used to take for granted.

Dr. Omkar Karthikeyan:
Now fortunately there have been many well-established roadmaps for how to reopen schools, from the CDC, the Biden administration, Governor Whitmer’s taskforce, or frankly other districts all over the nation that have successfully reopened. So it’s imperative that we utilize all of these resources together, and we connect teachers, staff, and administrators with their counterparts in the districts that have successfully reopened so that they can exchange ideas and learn best practices for their strategies. And with all things, our reopening plans need to be guided by hope and creativity, but above all science, not fear and misinformation. And of course we pediatricians always stand ready to assist in any manner possible. Thank you for your time. And with that, I’ll bring up Legend.

Legend Junior:
Good afternoon, my name is Legend, and I am a senior at River Rouge High School. I will be attending Providence College in the fall on a full-ride scholarship for basketball. Thank you Governor Whitmer for listening to us, the athletics, our families, and our coaches. We all have a responsibility to ensure we keep one another safe and do our part to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

Legend Junior:
One of the greatest lessons of basketball is teamwork, and it will take everyone to defeat this virus. This is why I’m committed to staying safe while still playing the sport that I love. Getting back into classrooms and being able to play the sport that I love will prepare me for my future. My teammates and I really appreciate that you have allowed indoor groups since January, and that gave us the opportunity to connect with one another, and get closer together. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak before you. Thank you.

Gretchen Whitmer :
Thank you Legend, nice work. Happy birthday. Hi. Legend, thank you, Dr. K, Dr. J, Director Hertel.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here