MI Medical Leaders Warn Of 4th COVID-19 Surge; Urge Vaccination

MICHIGAN — Medical leaders from 21 Michigan health institutes signed an open letter on Wednesday urging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

They warned Michigan is potentially heading into a fourth COVID-19 surge, as cases continue rising across communities and hospitals.

"We are seeing our emergency rooms and hospital beds and intensive care units fill up again with this fourth surge of COVID-19, with more than 1,000 individuals now hospitalized with a preventable virus," the health leaders said. "This increased volume comes at a time that health systems are experiencing the worst healthcare worker shortages in history."

They are also stressing to unvaccinated individuals the "danger of developing long lasting complications of COVID-19," as well as overcrowding hospitals and "the fact that more infections leads to more – and more dangerous – variants."

"You trust us when you’re sick, when you have an emergency or when you have a chronic health need. Please trust us now when we guide you to get this vaccine," the leaders said.

The letter was signed by chief medical and nursing officers among some of Michigan's top health systems, including Beaumont Health, Henry Ford Health System and Spectrum Health.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human services on Wednesday reported 4,494 new COVID-19 cases and 59 deaths over the past two days, averaging 2,247 per day.