Measles is still spreading in Michigan, with the most recent cases reported in Ottawa County in late April. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recommends that infants ages 6 to 11 months in certain counties with outbreaks receive an early dose of the MMR vaccine through May 16. You can find the latest measles assets in our Download Center.
Meanwhile, MDHHS launched a gun lock distribution map to help Michiganders find free gun locks and learn more about safe gun storage. Share it alongside our safe storage assets to support conversations about community safety.
This month’s newsletter highlights health conversations across Michigan and provides ready-to-share content on:
Vaccines: Rising rotavirus cases nationwide and in Michigan sparked debate about vaccination.
STIs/STDs: Michigan social media users highlighted the importance of knowing your HIV status.
Mental health: The Health Secretary’s plan to reduce the “overprescribing” of psychiatric medication and news about Michigan teen suicides prompted conversation about teen mental health treatment.
Vaccines
Michigan social media users falsely claim that babies don’t need the rotavirus vaccine
What’s happening:
Rotavirus, a potentially life-threatening intestinal infection, is spreading nationwide.
On April 16, a Lansing news outlet published an article warning about rising rotavirus cases in Jackson County and across Michigan.
While some commenters encouraged prevention methods like vaccination and hand-washing, others falsely claimed that rotavirus isn’t dangerous and that vaccination is unnecessary.
Symptoms may include fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. In babies and young children, rotavirus can lead to dangerous dehydration.
The rotavirus vaccine, which is given by mouth, offers the best way to protect babies from severe illness. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the first dose at 2 months old.
Share this in response
Find this post in English, Spanish, and Arabic on the Download Center, including a suggested social media caption.
Commenters express stigmatizing attitudes toward people with HIV
What’s happening:
On May 5, a social media user shared a post in a Detroit Facebook group saying that a man asked her to dinner and disclosed that he was HIV-positive, and she didn’t know “how to respond.”
Many commenters applauded the man for knowing and sharing his status before a potential date. Some correctly noted that people with HIV can take medication to reduce the amount of virus in their bodies to levels where they effectively can’t transmit HIV to others.
Several encouraged the original poster to ask whether the man was taking medication, to use condoms, and consider PrEP to reduce the risk of transmission.
Others expressed stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with HIV and suggested that dating or having a sex with an HIV-positive person is too risky.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
Knowing your HIV status is crucial for accessing early, lifesaving treatment. If you’re sexually active, experts recommend getting tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections at least once a year and any time you may have been exposed.
While there’s no cure for HIV, treatment can help people with HIV live long, healthy lives and prevent transmission to others.
You can protect yourself from HIV by using condoms and taking PrEP, a medication that lowers the risk of getting HIV through sex by up to 99 percent.
Find free and low-cost HIV testing, prevention, and treatment resources through MDHHS.
Share this in response
Find this post in English, Spanish, and Arabicon the Download Center, including a suggested social media caption.
Posts share mixed views on teen mental health treatment
What’s happening:
On May 4, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a plan to reduce the “overprescribing” of psychiatric medication, particularly among youth, sparking nationwide conversation.
Some Michigan social media users said that psychiatric medication can be lifesaving and worried the plan could make it harder for teens to access mental health treatment. Others claimed that “too many” teens take psychiatric medication.
Meanwhile several Michigan news outlets recently reported on teen suicides across the state. Online discussions focused on possible contributing factors, including stress, bullying, and barriers to mental health care.
Helpful messaging to share right now:
Many teens today report struggling with mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Psychiatric medication can be a safe and effective part of treatment, especially when combined with therapy and support from trusted adults and health care providers.
Public Good News is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to community health. We partner with trusted local voices throughout the U.S. to distribute accurate, accessible, and inclusive health news in English and Spanish.
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