For anyone with a loved one in a nursing home, today marks the slow return to in-person visits. There are several safety guidelines to follow (by appointment, only 1-2 people per visit, masks and social distancing are required, and limited total visitors to a facility at one time), but the important thing is that we can see our loved ones in person. And as important as the safety precautions are for maintaining healthy facilities, the visits are just as important for everyone’s mental health!

Late last week Governor Whitmer announced Futures for Frontliners, a new program aimed at providing a tuition-free path for Michigan’s amazing essential workers to gain valuable skills needed to pursue high-demand, high-wage careers. To qualify for the program, you must be a Michigander who “provided essential, frontline services during COVID-19 Stay Home, Stay Safe orders between April – June 2020.” You can find more information about this innovative program here.

Some really great news — on September 12 and 13, Michigan’s positivity rate fell below the all important 3% mark, coming in at 2.98% and 2.51% respectively! That’s exciting news because if we can keep the positivity rate below 3% for more than a few days at a time, that will mean we’ve begun to contain the virus … and we’re that much closer to taking another step forward in safely reopening more Michigan businesses.

So let’s all commit to doing our part. It’s been a challenge for everyone, to say the least, but at Extend Your Reach we believe in leading by example. We’re continuing to wear masks in our buildings, following cleaning protocols, and practicing social distancing. We’re also continuing to have those who can work from home do so. And as a reminder, if you need to visit one of our offices, we’ll take your temperature and ask you to fill out a short health questionnaire. If you prefer to talk over Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or any number of other video chat options, we’re open to that as well. It easy to keep in touch with us, and we’ll make it just as easy to make sure your important messages reach your customers. Find out more at ExtendYourReach.com.

Stay safe!

Jay Gillotte
CEO, Extend Your Reach

PS  Don’t forget to get your flu shot!