The Berrien County Board of Commissioners has made official its support for the Berrien County Health Department by approving a resolution stating just that. Commissioner Dave Vollrath read the resolution Thursday noting the county’s obligation to protect public health and the health department’s work to fight the COVID-19 pandemic locally.
“Now therefore be it resolved, hereby resolved, that the Berrien County Board of Commissioners Supports the Berrien County Health Department and our local public health officials in their continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in protecting the health and well being of the residents of Berrien County,” Vollrath read.
The vote at Thursday’s regular meeting followed an earlier committee presentation by Interim Berrien County Health Officer Courtney Davis, who outlined the increasing cases of COVID in the county over recent weeks. She said there are ways to prevent the spread.
“We do have an opportunity to still layer on prevention and mitigation measures that will ensure we don’t inundate our health system, that we don’t see new vulnerable populations severely impacted by COVID-19,” Davis said.
Davis said cases are looking like they did in the spring at 31.7 per 100,000 and a percent positivity of about 12%. As of Thursday, there were 23 hospitalized with the illness in the county and three in the ICU. Davis said the average age is now 59, whereas it used to be in the 70s. The health department recommends vaccination, sanitation, social distancing, and the use of masks in indoor public places.
