Michigan To See $6.3M In CDC Funding

As part of last month’s federal stimulus, Michigan will receive $6.3 million in U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding to support COVID-19 response efforts.

“As the coronavirus continues to pose unprecedented public health challenges across Michigan, ensuring our state has sufficient resources to respond to this pandemic is a top priority,” said U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp). “This funding will support a range of activities critical to coronavirus response efforts in Michigan, including purchasing vital medical equipment and helping hospitals meet staffing needs. I will continue working closely with the Administration, Gov. [Gretchen] Whitmer and leaders across Michigan to ensure we have the resources and tools to combat this crisis.”

The funding from the CDC is a part of an existing cooperative agreement between states and local jurisdictions that currently have the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases and areas with accelerating coronavirus cases.

The resources will help fund a wide range of activities such as lab equipment, supplies, staffing, shipping, infection control, surge staffing, monitoring of individuals and data management. The funding also will supplement an existing pact to state jurisdictions through the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) in order to enhance surveillance capabilities. This will include assessing and investigating the burden and severity of COVID-19, evaluating and determine risk factors and outcomes and planning and implementing prevention strategies.

“Michigan is now a hotspot for COVID-19 and every community in the state is impacted. The lack of testing supplies and equipment, scarcity of personal protection equipment for our medical providers and shortage of hospital personnel are stressing our health care system like never before. This funding will provide more support to our state at this incredibly urgent time,” said U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing).

This story was originally published by the Michigan Advance. For more stories from the Michigan Advance, visit MichiganAdvance.com.