Mark Hackel: Michigan is Better Prepared for a Second Wave

Macomb County has been one of the most hard-hit counties by COVID-19 in Michigan. In a Tele-Town Hall today, Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel spoke with Detroit Regional Chamber President and CEO Sandy K. Baruah on the county’s response to the crisis and preparations to restart business operations.

A difficult reality that both businesses and governments must face right now is the fact that COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon, said Hackel. While people have different levels of fear or comfort over the threat of the virus, we are now at least better prepared if the virus comes back in a second wave or even for another pandemic, he said.

The biggest issue right now is lack of information from the governor’s office, said Hackel. The county has followed the governor’s orders and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance when it comes to answering businesses’ questions, but Hackel said he is advocating for more information.

Hackel acknowledged Macomb County’s role in Michigan’s Arsenal of Health. It’s really amazing what these companies are doing, they retooled their facilities even while shut down, said Hackel, adding that he hopes it will help better prepare those facilities to reopen.

For Macomb County businesses looking for further assistance or resources, Hackel recommended they visit macombgov.org for more information.

Despite all the challenges the virus has caused, people have still managed to be there for one another. When the virus first hit, superintendents in Macomb county immediately began figuring out how to create an online educational component for kids at home, said Hackel. A huge problem was that many kids rely on getting fed through school.

“I get a little choked up about it,” said Hackel. “I mean food was a big issue and I don’t think people saw that at first. The response has been absolutely incredible.”