St. Clair County Health Department Ends COVID-19 Testing Services

A trend is developing.  County health departments are returning to their traditional tasks:

https://www.voicenews.com/2023/05/18/st-clair-county-health-department-to-end-covid-19-testing-services/

St. Clair County Health Department to end COVID-19 testing services
By MEDIANEWS GROUP | May 18, 2023

The St. Clair County Health Department will end COVID-19 testing services effective June 2.

The health department has administered an estimated 18,000 tests since the beginning of the pandemic, officials said.

“With the end of the Federal Public Health Emergency Declaration, a steep decline in our testing numbers and the availability of home testing, it’s an appropriate time for change,” said Liz King, health officer-director at the St. Clair County Health Department.

“The end of the PHE doesn’t mean COVID-19 is over,” King added. “SCCHD will continue providing and encouraging vaccinations, conduct disease monitoring, investigate outbreaks and share community guidance and resources as needed.”

While supplies last, individuals interested in obtaining free COVID-19 home test kits can pick them up at the health department front reception area during regular business hours. The health department is located at 3415 28th St. in Port Huron.

The health department, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, still recommends individuals isolate from others when sick and monitor for signs of illness if they had a known exposure. Individuals who experience COVID-19 symptoms should continue to take precautions and seek medical care and treatment as appropriate.

For additional testing resources, visit testinglocator.cdc.gov.

Smiles replace three-year mask mandate at hospitals
Last month, most of Michigan’s major health systems agreed to lift the mask mandate after three years of caring for patients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Factors influencing their joint decision include:

• The number of COVID-19 inpatients has drastically declined across the state. Data for Macomb County shows that for the first time since the pandemic started we are seeing single digit numbers for deaths.

• There are multiple effective ways to combat the virus, including vaccines and medical treatment.

• The desire to restore the powerful human connection when patients, caregivers and loved ones can see each other’s faces.

Ryan Liddy was among the registered nurses in Macomb County who cheered the news that masking would be optional in most hospital areas.

“Facial expressions are so valuable when it comes to connecting with a patient,” said Liddy, an RN and patient care services manager at McLaren Macomb. “It’s really nice not to have that barrier.”

Facial expressions also show signs of distress, pain, sorrow, depression and other feelings that Liddy has had to learn by other means since the mask mandate was initiated. He said their biggest concern was how to keep everyone safe while still providing the care they needed to do.

Since the initial outbreak, COVID-19 has become an illness that, in most cases, will be treated like other respiratory illnesses such as the flu. Health officials believe the virus will likely remain for years to come.

All health systems will continue to provide stations with free masks and hand sanitizer at entrances for patients, visitors and team members who choose to use them. Patients can also ask their care teams to wear masks.

Masking guidelines could be adjusted again if COVID-19, flu or any other virus begins to spread rapidly in the community.

Specific details about each health system’s optional masking policies are available on each health system’s website.