Dear Friends,

This year has been unlike any other I’ve seen in my lifetime. As temperatures drop, the holidays arrive, and cases continue to rise, I wanted to reach out about the current state of our fight against COVID-19 as well as a few services my office offers.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen the number of positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise quickly. At the beginning of November, our state recorded its 200,000th confirmed case and we are now nearing 8,000 deaths to this terrible virus. As we move into the winter months, it is more important than ever to step up and do our part by masking up, maintaining social distancing and washing our hands.

By continuing to take these precautions in our neighborhoods, communities and across our state now, we can turn the tide in the fight against COVID-19. The more aggressive our actions are today, the sooner we can get back to a more familiar tomorrow. And as we head into the holiday — and flu — season, we each have a responsibility to take this threat seriously.

With as quickly as things change, I know that this can be a confusing time for all of us. Be sure to regularly check Michigan.gov/coronavirus and CDC.gov/coronavirus for the latest information. If you have additional questions about what the state is doing to mitigate the spread of the virus you can call Michigan’s COVID-19 Hotline at (888) 535-6136 seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or email COVID19@michigan.gov and your questions will be answered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Another tool that may prove vital to combating the further spread of COVID-19 is the recently announced free mobile phone app, MI COVID Alert, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a defining moment for our communities, and while times are uncertain, I want to remind you that my staff and I are here to help. You can give us a call at (517) 373-7515,  go online to housedems.com/cherry or, send an email to JohnCherry@house.mi.gov. We can help you find local resources to take some of the financial strain off, keep students engaged and learning, make sure you have food on your table, or assist you in filing a report if you aren’t receiving your unemployment payments. We can also point you toward local COVID-19 testing sites or free COVID-19 symptom self-screening tests.

I hope this information has helped you. Always free to forward it along to any neighbors or family that might need my assistance as well.

Stay warm & stay safe,

John

John Cherry

State Representative

49th House District