(WXYZ) – Beaumont’s director of infectious disease research is weighing in on the cause of the COVID-19 surge in Michigan. He calls for a restriction of schools and restaurants to combat variants.
According to the state, 3,300 people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in Michigan, and the variants that are spreading across the state play a big role.
Some of them don’t do anything, but some of them can make it more contagious, others can make it more dangerous and deadly. Some of them, unfortunately, can do things like affect the vaccine’s ability to protect us, ” said Dr. Matthew Sims.
Sims said he saw the COVID-19 wave firsthand as director of infectious disease research at Beaumont Royal Oak; 40% of the patients in his hospital have the B.1.1.7 variant.
He compares the infection that spreads to the virus that goes through an open door.
“What happens is if you open the state, you open the door further. Right? So you might be letting more virus through,” he said. “Now you take a variant that is more contagious and that is like running through the door.”
The B.1.351 along with the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variants have been identified in our state, but the B.1.1.7 strain is spreading everywhere.
Nearly 2,000 cases have been identified by the state health department, but that number is likely much higher. It takes a state lab to determine the strain.
“If you want to go the other way, you want to slow it down, you have to close the door… restaurants, sporting events, personal school. I know the governor doesn’t want that and I know Dr. Khaldun doesn’t want to do that. the point is, our numbers are going up, not going down, ”he said.
Additional information and resources about the Coronavirus:
Watch a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See full coverage on our Coronavirus Ongoing Coverage Page.
Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we work to help people who are financially affected by the corona virus. We have all the information on everything to get you through this crisis and how to access it.