>> Announcer: LIVE FROM
DOWNTOWN DETROIT, HOME OF
WDIV AND CLICK ON DETROIT,
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT NOON STARTS
NOW.
>>> HELP IS ON THE WAY.
THE STATE OF MICHIGAN IS SET
TO RECEIVE 8.3 MILLION
DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR
COVID-19 VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION.
WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE
THE MONEY IS COMING FROM.
PLUS, IT’S THE DAY MANY
STUDENT ATHLETES HAVE WAITED
FOR THEY CAN FINALLY RETURN
TO PLAY.
BUT THE STATE’S NEW
GUIDELINES WILL COMPLICATE
THINGS JUST A BIT.
WE’LL EXPLAIN WHAT THAT’S
ALL ABOUT.
FIRST THE BITTER COLD
CONTINUES HERE IN OUR STATE.
WILL THINGS WARM UP ANY TIME
SOON?
>> I THINK YOU KNOW THE
ANSWER TO THAT.
IT’S PROBABLY NO.
OF COURSE THE WEATHER
TOPPING OUR NEWS HERE AT
NOON THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US I’M EVROD CASSIMY.
SAFE TO SAY IT’S DEFINITELY
A COLD ONE OUT THERE.
OUTSIDE THROUGH OUR SKYCAM.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE CAN SEE
SOME ICE THERE ON THE
DETROIT RIVER.
METEOROLOGIST PAUL GROSS
JOINING US NOW THIS
AFTERNOON IN FOR BRANDON.
WE WILL LOOK AT IF WE CAN
EXPECT A WARMUP ANY TIME
SOON AND WAS THAT IN FACT,
ICE?
>> YES, NOT OPENLY IS THAT
ICE ON THE DETROIT RIVER BUT
A LOT MORE OF IT CAUSING
BLOCKAGES ON THE ST. CLAIR
RIVER.
SO THAT FLOOD WARNING IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 10:00 A.M. WERE
TO MORNING.
THE COAST GUARD CUTTERS
THEY’RE DOING THEIR BEST.
BUT THEY JUST CAN’T GET ALL
OF THAT ICE TO BREAK UP AND
FLOW DOWN THAT RIVER.
RIGHT NOW THE PROBLEM IS THE
COLD WEATHER.
WE’RE GETTING THAT ICE BUILD
UP TEMPERATURES HAVE JUST
SQUEAKED INTO THE MID-TEENS
FOR THIS MIDDAY PERIOD.
THE WIND IS LIGHT BUT WHAT’S
OUT THERE IS CAUSING WIND
CHILL.
0 IN ANN ARBOR CITY AIRPORT
IN DETROIT IS AT EIGHT
DEGREES FOR A WIND CHILL.
LOOK AT ADRIAN YOUR WIND
CHILL IS -2°.
THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO
LOOK AT IS STORM TRACKER 4.
I WOULDN’T WORRY TOO MUCH
ABOUT THIS RIGHT HERE.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING IS THIS
AREA HERE.
THAT IS GOING TO MOVE IN
DURING THE EVENING HOURS.
WHEN I COME BACK IN A FEW
MINUTES I’LL SHOW YOU MORE
ON THE TIMING OF THAT AND I
HAVE SOME UPDATED
INFORMATION FOR YOU.
FOR THE AFTERNOON WE HAVE
THIS PARTIAL SUNSHINE RIGHT
NOW.
UPPER TEENS FOR A HIGH WITH
SINGLE DIGIT WIND CHILLS.
AGAINLY BE BACK TO TALK MORE
ABOUT TONIGHT’S SNOW IN JUST
A BIT, EVROD.
PAUL, THANK YOU SNIPT WE
WANT TO GET TO SOME SAD NEWS
JUST INTO THE LOCAL 4
NEWSROOM.
CONGRESSMAN RON WHITE -- RON
WRIGHT HAS DIED AFTER BEING
DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19.
THE TEXAS REPUBLICAN BATTLED
HEALTH CHALLENGES, INCLUDING
LUNG CANCER AND HE DIED ON
SUNDAY AFTER BEING
HOSPITALIZED FOR TWO WEEKS
ALONGSIDE HIS WIFE AFTER
CONTRACTING COVID-19.
HE WAS JUST 67 YEARS OLD.
>>> TODAY IS THE DAY THAT
MANY STUDENT ATHLETE, THEIR
PARENTS, COACHES, SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS HAVE ALL BEEN
WAITING FOR.
IN FACT, THEY’VE BEEN LOCK
-- LONGING FOR THIS DAY.
FREE TO PLAY TWO OF FOUR
CONTACT SPORTS.
BUT THE STATE’S NEW
GUIDELINES COMPLICATE THINGS
JUST A BIT.
LOCAL 4’S ROD MELONI JOINS
US WITH A LOOK AT WHAT THE
STATE IS TELLING TEAMS AND
ATHLETES THEY NEED TO DO.
ROD?
>> Reporter: GOOD AFTERNOON,
EVROD.
THE STATE CAME OUT WITH ITS
GUIDELINES LAST NIGHT AS
PROMISED.
IT WAS ABOUT EIGHT PAGES OF
RATHER COMPLICATED STUFF.
THEY SPENT MOST OF THEIR
TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW IT IS
THAT TESTING IS GOING TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR HIGH
SCHOOL ATHLETES.
JUST SO THERE’S NO CONFUSION
ABOUT WHICH SPORTS START
WHEN, THE HIGH SCHOOL
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION SPLITS
THE FOUR CONTACT SPORTS THIS
WAY.
STARTING TODAY, BOYS AND
GIRLS BASKETBALL AND ICE
HOCKEY, AND MASKS ARE
RECOMMEND AT ALL TIMES THE
ALTHOUGH THERE’S A PUSH TO
PLAY WITHOUT THEM THEY CAN
WITH A TESTING PROTOCOL.
STARTING FRIDAY, COMPETITIVE
CHEER, AND WRESTLING GO.
NOW THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF
PEDIATRICS RECOMMENDS
AGAINST MASKS IN THESE
SPORTS DURING COMPETITION.
THE TESTING GUIDELINES ARE
LENGTHY AND COMPLICATED.
IF FACE MASKS CANNOT BE WORN
BY ATHLETES AGE 13 AND UP,
IN ORDER TO PLAY THEY HAVE
TO HAVE A NEGATIVE ANTIGEN
TEST THAT’S THE BLOOD TEST
WITHIN THE PRECEDING 24
HOURS OF PLAY OR A NEGATIVE
R.RTPCR TEST THAT’S A SWAB
TEST WITHIN THE PRECEDING 72
HOURS.
NOW IF A SUPERINTENDENT
TESTS POSITIVE HE OR SHE
MUST ISOLATE IMMEDIATELY,
GET AN RTPCR TEST WITHIN 48
HOURS THEN STAY ISOLATED
UNTIL NO LONGER INFECTIOUS.
ATHLETICS WHO TEST POSITIVE
FOR AN RTPCR TEST MUST
ISOLATE FOR 10 DAYS FROM THE
FIRST POSITIVE TEST AND THEN
MAY NOT RETURN TO ACTIVITY
FOR A DURATION OF THE
INFECTIOUS PERIOD.
FINALLY, ANY ATHLETES WHO
HAVE RECOVERED FROM A
CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASE IN
THE PAST THREE MONTHS CAN,
IF SYMPTOM-FREE, PLAY
WITHOUT TESTING.
THAT IS PROVIDED THEY
PROVIDE A DOCTOR’S LETTER
STATING THIS IS IN FACT THE
CASE.
NOWDY CHECK IN WITH THE HIGH
SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
SAYING WHO WILL PAY FOR THE
TESTING?
RIGHT NOW THEY’RE SAYING
IT’S THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
IN THE MEANTIME, THERE’S A
LOT OF INFORMATION AROUND
SOCIAL DISTANCING AT THE
GAME, ALL THE TEAMS, THE
TEAM STAFF, AND SO FORTH.
ALSO, FOR SPECTATORS, AND
ALSO THEY SPENT A LOT OF
TIME TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE
QUESTION OF HOW TO GET TO A
GAME, WHO SHOULD TRAVEL AND
HOW, NO SCHOOL BUSES AND THE
LIKE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE THAT
WE HAVE ALL THE DETAILS OF
IT ON CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
REPORTING LIVE, ROD MELONI,
LOCAL 4.
>> VERY INTERESTING
GUIDELINES COMING UP
WATCHING THE PROFESSIONAL
ATHLETES PLAYING IN THE
SUPER BOWL LAST NIGHT.
ROD, THANK YOU FOR THE
UPDATE THERE.
AGAIN HE MENTIONED THEY’RE
ON CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
THERE YOU WILL ALSO FIND THE
LATEST CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS.
LET’S KEEP YOU UPDATED AS TO
WHAT’S GOING ON NATIONWIDE.
THE UNITED STATES HAS NOW
PASSED 27,900,000 MORE THAN
463,000 PEOPLE HAVE DIED
FROM THE VIRUS.
THIS IS ACCORDING TO THE
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
DATABASE.
HERE AT HOME WE’RE EXPECTED
TO GET THE LATEST NUMBERS IN
A COUPLE HOURS.
DESPITE A DIP IN U.S. COVID
CASES AN EXPERT SAYS THAT
THE NATION IS IN THE "EYE OF
THE HURRICANE" AS
CORONAVIRUS VARIANTS SPREAD.
MEAN WHILE MEIJER IS GETTING
READY TO LAUNCH A SERIES OF
VACCINE CLINICS THIS WEEK AT
STORES THROUGHOUT OUR STATE
OF MICHIGAN THEY PLAN TO
ADMINISTER UP TO 25,000
VACCINE DOSES BY THE END OF
THE WEEK TO MICHIGAN
RESIDENTS WHO ARE 65 YEARS
AND OLDER.
IN THE MEANTIME, THE STATE
IS SET TO RECEIVE 8.3
MILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL
FUNDING THAT WOULD BE FOR
COVID-19 VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT.
ACCORDING TO FEMA, THE
FUNDING IS AN ADVANCE
PAYMENT TO THE STATE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT.
IT’S FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE PUBLIC INFORMATION
CAMPAIGN THAT’S FOCUSED ON
VACCINATION EFFORTS.
THAT CAMPAIGN IS EXPECTED TO
INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT
VACCINE SAFETY, DISTRIBUTION
SITES AND ON HOW TO REGISTER
FOR A VACCINE APPOINTMENT.
>>> A HOPEFUL TREND NOW
TODAY IN THE BATTLE AGAINST
COVID-19.
SINCE JANUARY, COVID CASES
ARE DOWN 61%, AND
HOSPITALIZATIONS HAVE
DROPPED 42%.
BUT, AS THOSE MORE
INFECTIOUS VARIANTS SPREAD
AND VACCINATIONS LAG BEHIND
DEMAND NEW PARTNERS ARE
STEPPING UP TO HELP IN THE
FIGHT.
HERE’S TOM COSTELLO WITH
MORE FROM WASHINGTON, D.C..
>> Reporter: THE NFL IS
LOOKING TO HELP TACKLE THE
VACCINE ROLLOUT OFFERING ALL
38 STADIUMS AS MASS
VACCINATION SITES.
EACH EXPECTED TO INOCULATE
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH
DAY.
PFIZER EXPECTED TO CUT ITS
VACCINE PRODUCTION TIME
ALMOST IN HALF FROM 110 DAYS
TO ABOUT 60.
AS SOME PEOPLE ARE
STRUGGLING TO RECEIVE THEIR
SECOND DOSES ON TIME.
>> I SEE ALL THE PEOPLE
GETTING THE SECOND SHOT SO I
NEED MY SECOND SHOT.
>> Reporter: THE BOTTLENECK
HAS SOME HEALTH EXPERTS
CALLING FOR A DELAY OF
SECOND DOSES INSTEAD
PRIORITIZING GETTING SINGLE
SHOTS INTO AS MANY ARMS AS
POSSIBLE.
BUT DR. ANTHONY FAUCI IS
WARNING AGAINST THAT.
>> YOU CAN DO BOTH.
YOU CAN GET AS MANY PEOPLE
IN THEIR FIRST DOSE AT THE
SAME TIME AS ADHERING WITHIN
REASON TO THE TIMETABLE OF
THE SECOND DOSE.
>> Reporter: UPPING THE
VACCINE URGENCY ONE STUDY
WHICH HAS YET TO BE PEER
REVIEWED, FINDS THE U.K.
STRAIN APPEARS TO BE
SPREADING FAST, DOUBLING IN
THE U.S. EVERY 10 DAYS.
WITH MORE THAN 600 AMERICANS
ALREADY INFECTED, THAT
VARIANT IS EXPECTED TO
BECOME THE DOMINANT STRAIN
BY MARCH.
ONE OF THE NOTE HERE THE
ASTRAZENECA VACCINE IS NOT
VERY EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE
SOUTH AFRICAN STRAIN OF THE
VIRUS.
IN FACT IN SOUTH AFRICA,
THEY’VE STOPPED USING THE
ASTRAZENECA VACCINE BECAUSE
OF THAT.
SO WHILE WE DON’T HAVE THE
ASTRAZENECA VACCINE IN THE
UNITED STATES, THE FACT THAT
IT’S NOT EFFECTIVE AGAINST
THIS MUTATING STRAIN IS A
BIG CONCERN.
TOM COSTELLO, NBC NEWS,
WASHINGTON.
>> ALL RIGHT, TOM, THANK
YOU.
>>> THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS
U.K. CORONAVIRUS VARIANT HAS
BEEN FOUND IN A THIRD
MICHIGAN COUNTY THE STATE
OFFICIALS SAY THAT A CASE
HAS BEEN CONFIRMED OVER IN
KENT COUNTY THAT’S IN THE
WESTSIDE OF MICHIGAN.
THE KENT COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT DID NOT GIVE
DETAILS ABOUT THIS PATIENT
WHO HAS IT BUT LAST WEEK
STATE OFFICIALS SAID THAT
THERE WERE 28 VARIANT CASES
IN BOTH WASHTENAW AND WAYNE
COUNTIES.
IN OTHER NEWS THIS AFTERNOON
IT HAS BEEN A BIG WEEK IN
WASHINGTON.
DEMOCRATS WILL START LAYING
OUT WHAT COVID RELIEF WILL
LOOK LIKE INCLUDING NEW
PAYMENTS FOR PARENTS.
THIS IS COMING COMING AS
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IS SET TO
BEGIN TOMORROW.
TRACIE POTTS BREAKS IT ALL
DOWN.
>> Reporter: LET’S TALK
ABOUT WHERE YOUR LAWMAKERS
ARE TODAY.
SENATORS HERE IN WASHINGTON
FOR THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
REPRESENTATIVES SOME GOING
HOME LEAVING THE LEADERSHIP
TO WORK OUT THE ACTUAL
LANGUAGE ON COVID RELIEF,
STIMULUS CHECKS, AND THIS
NEW POTENTIAL PAYMENT TO
PARENTS.
DEMOCRATS ARE PREPARING TO
VOTE ON COVID RELIEF IN TWO
WEEKS, INCLUDING STIMULUS
PAYMENTS.
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH "CBS
EVENING NEWS", PRESIDENT
BIDEN SAID THE PAYMENTS WILL
PHASE OUT BASED ON INCOME.
>> President Biden: IT’S
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN AN
INDIVIDUAL MAKING UP TO 75
AND PHASING OUT AND A COUPLE
MAKING UP TO $150 AND
PHASING OUT.
BUT, AGAIN, I’M WIDE OPEN ON
WHAT THAT IS.
>> Reporter: THE PRESIDENT
ADMITS THIS BILL WILL NOT
RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE BUT
DEMOCRATS ARE PLANNING TO
ADD NEW CHILD PAILS UP TO
$3600 PAID MONTHLY STARTING
IN JULY.
REPUBLICANS ARGUE THE $1.9
TRILLION PLAN COSTS TOO
MUCH.
>> SOMETIMES A CURE IS WORSE
THAN THE DISEASE.
>> Reporter: STIMULUS HAWKS
CONTINUE AS THE SENATE
PREPARES FOR THE TRUMP
IMPEACHMENT TRIAL TO BEGIN
TOMORROW.
>> I THINK THIS IS A VERY
BAD IDEA.
45+ REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO
VOTE EARLY ON THAT IT’S
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
>> Reporter: A HANDFUL OF
REPUBLICANS SAY THEY’LL BE
IMPARTIAL JURORS.
>> I’M GOING TO LISTEN TO
THE ARMS ON BOTH SIDES AND
MAKE THE DECISION THAT I
THINK IS RIGHT.
>> Reporter: THOSE ARGUMENTS
MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE
WITNESSES.
>> THERE WILL ALREADY BE
OVER 100 PASSES PRESENT AND
THOSE WILL BE THE HOUSE AND
SENATE MEMBERS.
>> Reporter: BUT GETTING 17
REPUBLICANS TO CONVICT STILL
SEEMS UNLIKELY.
I’M TRACIE POTTS, LOCAL 4
NEWS.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> NOT LONG AGO PRESIDENT
JBD ARRIVED BACK AT THE
WHITE HOUSE AFTER --
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN ARRIVED
BACK AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> WE HAVE AN OFFER TO COME
AND TESTIFY HE’S DECIDED NOT
TO.
WE’LL LET THE SENATE WORK
THAT OUT.
>> SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE
LEAVING IT UP TO HOUSE
MANAGERS.
THE PROSECUTORS WHETHER TO
CALL WITNESSES THEY HAVEN’T
SAID YET WHETHER OR NOT THEY
WILL.
STILL TO COME HERE ON LOCAL
4 NEWS AT NOON, THE UNITED
STATES IS BACK.
RECENTLY THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION MADE
HEADLINES FOR REJOINING THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
BUT THAT’S NOT THE LAST OF