Chief of CDC calls for bug shutdowns in Michigan

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says surging vaccines in Michigan would not help the hard-hit state control the latest COVID-19 wave that has strained its hospitals and is raising concerns because vaccines take two to six weeks to provide full-strength protection.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky advised Michigan authorities to impose limits on gatherings and businesses to blunt the shocking surge of the virus, which doctors blame on more contagious variants.

“Really, what we need to do in those situations is shut things down,” Walensky (photo) said.

Michigan’s Democratic

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has called for the federal government to boost the vaccine supply to her state, but the White House said last week Michigan had not ordered its full allotment of available vaccines.

Federal officials say the current population-based formula is still the fairest way to distribute vaccines to states.

“If we try to vaccinate our way out of what is happening in Michigan, we would be disappointed,” Walensky said in a White House briefing on the pandemic.

The governor has called on Michigan residents, schools and businesses to voluntarily implement measures to limit the spread, especially wearing masks and limiting contact with other people.

But she has resisted calls to order new restrictions on gatherings, sports or indoor dining even as the COVID-19 infection numbers continue to increase throughout the state.

“We need that vaccine in other places,” Walensky said.

“If we vaccinate today, we will have impact in six weeks and we don’t know where the next place is going to be that is going to surge,” the governor added.

Michigan recorded a nationwide high of 10,553 new coronavirus cases over the weekend.

According to Johns Hopkins University, several states including North and South Dakota, Utah, Arizona, Tennesse and Rhode Island are experiencing record-high infections, as well.