Houghton County Dems pass resolution in support of Western UP Health Department

The following resolution was passed at the January 6th 2021 regular monthly meeting of the Houghton County Democratic Party, supporting the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department (WUPHD) in promoting the health guidelines that help us all fight the spread of coronavirus in our community: We appreciate the work you, WUPHD, do every day in the face of an implacable pandemic and political pressures attempting to prevent you from doing your jobs. We stand with you.

Whereas: Houghton County has been impacted by COVID-19 with 2023 cases, increasing daily, and 33 deaths (per the Michigan Department of Public Health);

Whereas: Statistics alone cannot measure the social and health impacts on the residents of this county that include long term health effects from those recovering from COVID-19 (some still not even recognized); health issues related to disruptions or delays in receiving routine or urgent health care services due to the need to preserve resources for COVID-19 patients; mental health issues related to stress, economic hardship, overburdening of workers in front-line and health care jobs; and delays in educational achievement for many students due to changes from in-person to on-line learning;

Whereas: There has also been grave negative economic impact on individuals who have lost jobs or had hours reduced; small businesses that have had to close or greatly reduce hours or services; institutes of higher education who have lower enrollment and revenues while costs have increased to provide safe environments for learning; public and private schools who have struggled to provide the additional services needed without increase in funding; hospitals, nursing homes and other health care services who have had increases in costs for equipment and supplies as well as staff shortages; and local units of government facing reduced funding;

Whereas: Despite the above impact there has been and continues to be a strong community spirit with many small businesses following the rules of the Michigan Department of Public Health, even as these rules have changed throughout the year, in order to keep both their employees and customers safe; social and religious organizations adapting to a new normal often with the use of technology or new ways of organization to continue to reach their members; and most people following the techniques called for by health officials for social distancing, wearing of masks, and restricting contacts with others to slow transmission of the virus;

Whereas: Health officials locally, state-wide and nationally are calling for us to continue to be diligent with the behaviors that have been shown to slow transmission of the virus while encouraging the use of the vaccine as it becomes available to us;

Therefore be it resolved that the Houghton County Democratic Party:

Calls for the support of the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department from elected and appointed officials and the community to ensure that the agency has the resources to carry out their responsibilities in implementation of public health programs including vaccinations and enforcing public health rules and guidelines in a safe environment for all staff;

And

Calls for our elected officials to develop a proactive plan to re-build the economy ("Build Back Better" as our President-elect Biden has called for!) in the county while supporting the public health measures that are contributing to containment of the coronavirus.

Inset logo courtesy Houghton County Democratic Party.