Information Photograph by Steve Schulwitz
Governor Gretchen Whitmer met with well being and college officers on the Alcona Well being Clinic in Lincoln at this time. She toured the ability and talked concerning the work being achieved to enhance pupil well being and gradual the unfold of COVID-19.
LINCOLN — Earlier this yr, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put the onus on native well being and college officers to challenge masks mandates and set COVID-19 coverage, when beforehand that was achieved in Lansing.
The masks mandates in some faculty districts in Northeast Michigan have sparked backlash towards faculty board members, with some mother and father going so far as threatening to take away their youngsters from faculty if they’re pressured to put on a masks.
On Wednesday, Whitmer, who was visiting the Alcona Well being Middle clinic in Lincoln, addressed the difficulty with robust phrases.
“Unequivocally, it’s unacceptable for anybody to threaten our college board members, an educator, a public well being officer, or a clerk,” Whitmer mentioned. “We have now seen this rise and it’s unacceptable and none of us ought to need to put up with that and none of us ought to allow it with out taking it on.”
Mother and father elevating concern about masks mandates on children declare it impacts them socially and makes it tough for them to breathe.
The Middle of Illness Management says masks are protected and reduces the transmission of COVID-19.
Masks manades in Michigan colleges have been carried out at both the advice of native well being officers or the well being departments issuing the orders themselves.
When requested if Lansing might intervene and challenge orders to take the warmth off of native colleges and well being officers, Whitmer was noncommittal.
She mentioned extra is thought concerning the virus, how masks assist restrict its unfold, and a vaccine is accessible. As a result of there are extra methods to battle in opposition to the virus, handing over energy to the native well being departments was the perfect course to go, she mentioned.
“Within the early days we didn’t know masks have been a instrument we might use to maintain ourselves protected and we definitely didn’t have a vaccine,” she mentioned. “Now we now have these instruments we didn’t have, so that’s the reason we now have pushed the choices right down to the native degree as a result of that’s finally the place insurance policies are going to be developed and enforced. That’s the reason you will need to empower and respect our college boards and county well being officers.
Whitmer mentioned she is aware of individuals are affected by COVID fatigue, and admitted she has it too. Nonetheless, she mentioned, persevering with to put on masks and getting vaccinated is the shortest path to limiting its influence on society.
“Each single one in all us is bored with coping with COVID-19. I’m too,” Whitmer mentioned. “However it isn’t gone. We’re going to need to be taught to dwell with COVID-19 and the easiest way to do it and maintain our children in class and re-engage our financial system is by making up and getting vaccinated.”
Whitmer toured the clinic and met with some directors, earlier than posing for a number of images and shifting on to her subsequent cease in northern Michigan.
