Let’s get the most important issue out of the way first. Congratulations to Michigan State for winning the football game last Saturday. For all of you who voted GO GREEN on our short survey … you’ll be happy to know MSU also topped UM there by a 2 to 1 margin.

Now back to coronavirus news.

It feels like COVID news is stuck in a repeat loop. New daily cases are up. Positivity rates are up. But, just like last week, the one stat we love to see go up is Total Recovered Cases, which now stands at 121,093. Plus, Michigan’s overall mortality rate continues to drop. Last week it was 4.3% and now it’s down to 3.9%. That means, although more people are testing positive for COVID-19, more people are also surviving it!

A new resource for hospital data.

While doing research for today’s update, we discovered a useful site to track COVID-related hospitalizations, hospital PPE supplies, and health system capacities. It’s important to read the information on the landing page to have a clear understanding of the statistics. Overall, it shows that most Michigan hospital systems have more than 21 days of PPE supplies on hand. Also, a quick look at the largest hospital systems across the state shows total bed occupancy (not just COVID patients) stands at about 75%. Smaller systems/hospitals range from 0% to about 50% bed occupancy.

Reducing coronavirus spread.

Hopefully a vaccine is on its way. There are currently three in Phase 3 clinical trials. Next week we’ll provide an update on their progress. In the meantime, it’s important that everyone do their part by wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing … you know the drill. And if you find you need help reaching out to your customers, Extend Your Reach is here to provide a full array of services. Let’s connect—virtually or in person—and discuss how we can work together: info@extendyourreach.com or 800-887-1959.

Stay safe!

Jay Gillotte
CEO, Extend Your Reach