Swabs from the UP being sent to a downstate lab
“RIGHT NOW IT’S low risk, but in the long run, we’re pretty sure it’s going to find its way up here.”
The words of Dr. Kevin Piggott, the medical director of the Marquette County Health Department, referring to the spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus that’s spreading throughout the world and the United States.
But so far, it’s not in Michigan, not in the U.P. So far. As he says, it’s likely only a matter of time.
The first culture (a swab from the mouth, nose, or throat) from a patient in Marquette County was sent down for testing in a lab in Lansing on Thursday, according to Dr. Piggott. No results yet. More cultures are on the way.
The cultures come from patients visiting doctors–patients suspected of possibly having the coronavirus. And still the most likely to have contracted the virus are those who have visited foreign countries where the virus is spreading, as well as states where it’s now spreading, and those who’ve had contact with people who visited those places recently. In addition, according to Dr. Piggott, patients with a particularly severe case of “flu” might be tested by their doctors.
Advice for us remains the same but with more urgency. Wash hands. Wash hands. Wash hands. Keep hands away from the mouth. Try to avoid large crowds, if possible. Older people and the chronically ill should especially take precautions because the coronavirus has proven more lethal to them.
One more thing, from Dr. Piggott. If you suspect you may have the coronavirus, and you’re planning to visit your doctor or the hospital, call them ahead of time, and let them know of your situation. They will take greater precautions with you when you arrive.
A “must-win” for Bernie?
MICHIGAN’S IN THE headlines this week.
The presidential primary is Tuesday with six states voting, but pundits are saying Michigan is not only the biggest state voting, it’s far and away the most important.
A “battleground” state that President Donald Trump won in the last election. A state where Senator Bernie Sanders beat former Senator Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primary. A state that, many believe, Sanders absolutely must win on Tuesday to avoid getting steamrollered by former Vice President Joe Biden who picked up enormous momentum on Super Tuesday.
The latest poll puts Biden ahead by a few points, and the recent withdrawals from the race by former mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Senator Elizabeth Warren, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and businessman Tom Steyer have raised the question–Which candidate will inherit their votes?
By the way, if you voted by absentee ballot already and want to change your vote because your candidate has since dropped out, you can do so by showing up at the County Clerk’s office on Monday, before 4 o’clock. There, you can “spoil” your first ballot, and choose to either take out another absentee ballot (which you’d have to mail in immediately) or simply show up at the polls on Tuesday.
Monday could be a busy day at the County Clerk’s office.
Take a hike at Presque Isle
MORE LOVE FOR the U.P., and for Michigan.
The latest praise comes from tripsavvy, the travel website. The article? “Where to Go in 2020? The Best Places to Travel.”
Michigan is rated as “the best for outdoor enthusiasts,” highlighting its 3000 miles of shoreline and 19 million acres of forest land.
Most of the article is devoted to the UP, in particular Pictured Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls, Kitch-iti-kipi, Isle Royale…and Marquette.
Quoting: “…Hike around Frederick Law Olmstead’s 300 acre Presque Isle Park finished with a plunge off Blackrocks, an ancient lava formation on Superior…”
You might want to hold off on the plunge for a few months, but the hike? An excellent idea. A good way to get away from the crowds during the coronavirus scare.