Detroit to encourage 3rd Covid shot, multiple shot outside Detroit bar, major construction on E. Jefferson
MONDAY NEWS HIT - Detroit is advancing its COVID-19 vaccine campaign to include booster shots for the immunocompromised, with city officials planning to roll out the new plan Monday.
Even as it continues to struggle to overcome skepticism among its own residents, Mayor Mike Duggan and the city's Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair plan to layout a plan for getting third shots of the coronavirus vaccine to those who have completed their vaccine series. FOX 2 will stream the event live at 10 a.m. on social media and on FOX2detroit.com.
The upcoming health guidance follows approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to offer residents already vaccinated added protection.
A panel that convened Friday to discuss the possibility of offering extra doses to those who are immunocompromised voted 11-0 in favor of administering an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
The high-risk group that would be eligible encompasses no more than 3% of U.S. adults.
According to the city's vaccine dashboard, about 41% of the city is vaccinated - well behind the surrounding county's protection levels and the desired 70% threshold that state officials set last year.
While officials long believed an added shot would eventually be necessary to sustain long-term immunity, it's unclear just how long an initial 2-shot or 1-shot series would officer protection from the virus.
However, with some variants of the virus now seeing success in traveling between vaccinated hosts, many believe the best path forward in addition to increasing the number of those vaccinated is offering boosted immunity.
The CDC has previously identified immunocompromised people as being at higher risk for getting severely ill from COVID-19, more likely leading to hospitalization or death. Among them are people with HIV or AIDS, transplant recipients, some cancer patients and people with autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and lupus, the CDC explains on its website.
It’s harder for vaccines to rev up an immune system suppressed by certain medications and diseases, so those patients don’t always get the same protection as otherwise healthy people — and small studies suggest for at least some, an extra dose may be the solution.
Multiple shot, one dead after fight breaks out at Detroit bar
Detroit police are investigating a shooting at a local bar on Central Avenue after a fight allegedly broke out at the Red's Park-Inn Monday morning.
Police confirmed to FOX earlier in the morning that a male in his 20s had been fatally shot and another male had a graze wound. They also said the shooting happened in the 4400 block of Central. However, a third gunshot victim was dropped off at Beaumont Oakwood hospital later in the morning.
There was a large police presence outside the bar around 7:50 a.m., where the medical examiner was onsite and someone was being taken into custody.
Police have not given out any more details, but an update is expected soon.
Residents rejoice as power comes back on
When Kelly James was pulling up to his home, all he could think was why did someone leave the lights on in his house. "I was just pulling up and I seen the porch light on and I said ‘turn that light off!’ and then I said ‘oh my God, everything is on,’" said James, of Oak Park.
"Last night was the estimate for 11:30 pm. and it never happened. Then 11:35 came and it’s just like ugh," said Felicia Tolbert. Tolbert's power flipped back on in the middle of FOX 2's visit to her home Sunday.
Both Tolbert and James were among the hundreds of thousands across Michigan to see their electricity go out after severe weather blitzed Metro Detroit and other parts of the state. They were also some of the lucky tens of thousands to see their power restored this weekend.
At its peak, DTE's outage map reported more than 600,000 residents without power. Consumers Energy, which services electricity to Michigan residents outside of Metro Detroit, reported more than 250,000 without power. DTE has managed to trim that number down to 44,000 and Consumers down to 28,300 by Monday morning. Their new estimates were closer to Monday night to see the rest of the lights back on
James Craig forms group to focus on solving crime
As he prepares an expected run for the governor's seat, James Craig kicked off Monday with the activation of a Law Enforcement Action Team (LEAT), which he says will build upon a plan to reduce crime in Michigan.
A bipartisan group of law enforcement figures, including Democratic sheriffs from Gladwin and Macomb, Republican sheriffs from Livingston, Oakland, the Kent County Prosecutor, as well as figures from the state legislature will work to recommend new laws that strengthen law enforcement across the state.
The announcement follows polling data that shows more Americas are concerned about crime. It's also on the same day that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is holding a public safety press conference that will announce a plan on how to use funds from the president's federal stimulus plan to curb the use of illegal guns while expanding support for police officers.
Craig is expected to make a formal announcement for governor in September.
Major East Jefferson Avenue construction coming to Detroit
A major road project is coming to Detroit’s eastside. Resurfacing is scheduled to start Tuesday on a more than 5-mile (8-kilometer) stretch of East Jefferson between Beaubien and Lakewood.
The two primary travel lanes in each direction of East Jefferson will receive a new top layer of asphalt.
Limited lane closures are expected, and the project is to wrap up by Sept. 3, the city said. East Jefferson is slated to undergo a full rebuild in conjunction with a planned water infrastructure project in the next two to three years.
In about three years, Detroit’s Public Works office will oversee a complete streetscape project for East Jefferson that will include some underground utility updates.
What else we're watching
- The U.S. has opened a formal investigation of Tesla autopilot, citing collisions with parked emergency vehicles after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identified 11 crashes since 2018.
- Detroit Black Restaurant Week kicks off this Friday which will feature three different food truck rallies between Aug. 20 - 29.
- Gas prices fell five cents in Michigan as high prices at the pump look to take a little pity on Michigan drivers this week. Residents are now paying an average of $3.25 per gallon.
- Oak Park's city hall, community center, pool, and library are closed to the public Monday due to a continued loss of power.
- Flood victims from June storms will have the chance to get helpful information, tips, and literature with FEMA Hazard Mitigation teams at local Menards locations in Livonia and Taylor.
Live on FOX 2
Daily Forecast
The weekend is over but the weekend temperatures are going to stick around one more day. Temperatures will hover in the 70s this afternoon with a chance for a few showers later Monday. Things do heat up later this week, however.
Taliban takeover in Afghanistan: 3 killed at Kabul airport as thousands flee, report says
Thousands of people rushed into the Afghan capital's airport on Monday, pushing toward the tarmac and onto planes in desperate attempts to flee the country after the Taliban overthrew the Western-backed government.
Three people were killed outside a terminal building at the Kabul International Airport, according to the Wall Street Journal. They were apparently victims of gunfire, the report said.
Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of people running across the tarmac as U.S. soldiers fired warning shots in the air struggling to manage the chaotic evacuation. One showed a crowd pushing and shoving its way up a staircase, trying to board a plane, with some people hanging off the railings.