Washtenaw County saw the lowest death rate in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s according to a new report that takes a closer look at the numbers from March of 2020 until February of 2023.
The county lost 642 residents to COVID during that span. But if the death rate was at the statewide average, Washtenaw County would have lost an additional 631 people. That’s almost double.
Jimena Loveluck is the Washtenaw County Health Officer. She says the county’s high vaccination rate, the following of public health guidance and closing inequity gaps over time was a big part of minimizing the damage.
“Relying on those trusted community partnerships and trusted messengers, really targeting resources and deploying resources to the areas and communities where we saw the greatest disparities, certainly, I think, had an impact.”
Loveluck says a new vaccine is in the works as the virus continues to evolve. Her hope is that it will be ready by September.
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