SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — For some people, COVID-19 may no longer be a daily concern, however health experts in Oakland and Wayne counties say active investigations are still underway to prevent possible outbreaks.
“People are still getting sick from it. It’s still out here,” metro Detroiter Cassandra Houston said.
It’s an ongoing effort that the health department in Oakland County is working on to ensure safety of the community.
“We have a team of nine case investigators that are following up on positive cases of COVID that are reported by PCR through a laboratory or through a health care providers, identifying outbreaks in congregate care settings — long-term care facilities, shelters — that kind of setting,” Kate Guzman, a nurse with the Oakland County Health Department, said.
Experts say less than two dozen cases of COVID-19 may be reported at any given time, but there is likely a larger number going unreported due to many instances of at-home testing.
“While most of the recent cases of COVID-19 that we are seeing are only mildly symptomatic, those people with underlying conditions are really at high risk of hospitalization and death still,” Guzman said.
Houston says each day, she’s taking precautions, given new cases are emerging and the fact that Oakland County is actively tracking to minimize exposure.
“I still wear a mask in certain areas and I for sure use my hand sanitizer,” Houston said.
Valerie Jefferson, another metro Detroiter, said, “I lost my brother, I lost a sister, and I want to live and be safe.”
Doctors say it’s still important to be vigilant and take precautions.
“It is important to recognize that the virus is still with us. COVID is not over, even if the pandemic has been declared over by federal and state authorities,” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Wayne County’s health director, said. “We should always still remain vigilant and be ready to protect ourselves and our loved ones.”
El-Sayed says any cases that could arise in nursing homes or similar housing settings will also be followed up on. While a high vaccination rate is resulting in milder symptoms for some, he says this fall could pose new challenges despite a summer of lower numbers of cases.
“We don’t know what COVID has in store for us in the fall, and this will be the first fall outside of the COVID public health emergency. So a lot of us are watching and will remain vigilant,” El-Sayed said.
For now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still urging those testing positive to quarantine for five days and wear a mask for five more when out in public.
“We should think about it. We lost a lot of loved ones, friends, family. So, we should really stay careful,” Houston said.
The health department says newer vaccines are expected to also make it easier to protect yourself, and could be released by fall.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.