ALPENA–The Northern Michigan Public Health Alliance is urging northern Michigan residents to take cautionary measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 across the region. The Alliance said the Delta variant is much more contagious than past versions of the virus.

Because the number of cases continue to increase, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all people, regardless of vaccination status, in areas of substantial of high transmission should:

∫ Get vaccinated

∫ Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms

∫ Get tested three to five days following a known exposure to someone either suspected of or confirmed to have COVID-19 and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure or until a negative test result

∫ Isolate if they have tested positive for COVID-19 in the prior 10 days or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms

Wear a mask in public indoor settings if they are in an area of substantial or high transmission

The Alliance reported the highest spread of cases and severe outcomes is happening in places with low vaccination rates and that the vaccination is the most effective prevention measure against the virus.

Josh Meyerson, District Health Department No. 4 medical director, noted the status of COVID-19 in one county to another is a moving target and will change frequently.

“Individuals need to take personal responsibility to protect themselves, their families and friends, and their community,” Meyerson said. “We all need to be together on this and get vaccinated, get tested if you’re not feeling well or been exposed, and isolate if you test positive for COVID-19.” Anyone 12 and older is urged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

VACCINES

NOTE: The chart shows the percent of Northeast Michiganders 16 and older fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, meaning they’d received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine. The “target” line above reflects that many public health experts say we can consider the coronavirus pandemic “over” once 70% of the adult population is fully vaccinated.

INFECTIONS, RECOVERIES, AND DEATHS

NOTE: Northeast Michigan public health agencies have reported confirmed and suspected infections as one number since Feb. 18, 2021. A suspected infection represents a person who’d been in close contact with an infected person but hadn’t been tested themselves, such as a person who lives with a person confirmed infected.

Those agencies also stopped tracking recoveries after vaccine rollouts began in earnest in early 2021. The number of recoveries represents a News estimate based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition of “recovered” as an infected person still living 30 days after infection.

ACTIVE CASES

NOTE: “Active cases” is a News estimate of the number of currently infected — and potentially contagious — Northeast Michiganders representing cumulative cases minus recoveries and deaths.

HOSPITAL OCCUPANCY

NOTE: One of the primary goals of state-mandated coronavirus restrictions has been to prevent hospitals from being overrun with COVID-19-infected patients, so hospital occupancy rates are a key metric state officials use when deciding whether new restrictions are necessary.

TIMELINE: THE FIRST YEAR

Click through the interactive timeline below for a look at how the coronavirus spread throughout Northeast Michigan in its first year.