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In Michigan, 4.5% of kindergartners were granted exemptions to required vaccines as of the end of last school year. That's down from 5.5% in 2012.

Why it matters: Michigan is bucking the national trend of higher exemption rates, ticking up and down over the years but still lower than a decade ago.

Vaccinations reduce the spread of childhood illnesses like smallpox that once plagued the country. While children are generally required to get vaccinations before attending public school, exemptions can be given for both medical and nonmedical reasons, such as religious or moral objections.

Studies have found an increased risk of infection from vaccine-preventable diseases among exempt children.

Yes, but: Overall childhood vaccination rates here are their lowest since 2011, sliding under 70% in half the counties, Michigan Radio recently reported. That vaccination rate is considered a minimum for herd immunity.

"We really saw those rates of routine childhood immunizations drop during the pandemic," state chief medical executive Natasha Bagdasarian said at a press conference.

By the numbers: Nationally, the median kindergarten vaccine exemption rate was rising even before the pandemic, increasing from 1.4% in 2012 to 2.6% in 2019, per CDC estimates.

Driving the news: While COVID-19 vaccination is not required for young children attending public school, it appears that concerns over that shot may be fueling broader skepticism nationally.

Just 70% of Americans now say healthy kids should be vaccinated as a requirement to attend public school— down from 82% pre-COVID-19, per a recent Pew survey.

Tracking kindergarten vaccine exemptions in Michigan

The rate has ticked up and down over the years but is still lower than a decade ago.

In Michigan, 4.5% of kindergartners were granted exemptions to required vaccines as of the end of last school year. That&#x27;s down from 5.5% in 2012.Why it matters: Michigan is bucking the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="national trend of higher exemption rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/24/vaccine-exemption-kindergarten-states-map" data-vars-content-id="3aad22c7-8e01-4d31-9d2e-f2da80986276" data-vars-headline="Tracking kindergarten vaccine exemptions in Michigan" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/24/vaccine-exemption-kindergarten-states-map" target="_self">national trend of higher exemption rates</a>, ticking up and down over the years but still lower than a decade ago.

Health

COVID

News

Data: CDC; Note: Change in average weekly rate at a sample of 6,000 hospitals from June 4 to July 1 and July 2-29, 2023; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Statewide COVID-19 hospitalization rates fell 32% between June and July despite signs of a late summer wave in other parts of the country.

By the numbers: The average COVID-19 hospitalization rate nationwide rose about 17% between June and July, per the latest available CDC data.

A new variant, EG.5, is now the dominant form in the U.S., according to CDC estimates — though it's unclear if it's directly responsible for the rising numbers.

Zoom out: Michigan, Vermont and Rhode Island (both down 31%) are the only states with rates that decreased 30% or more during the time period.

Mississippi (73%), Louisiana (66%) and Alabama (66%) saw the largest increases.

Reality check: In both percentage change and raw terms, nationwide hospitalizations remain far below their pandemic-era peak.

They're down 82% year over year. The CDC reports 10,320 overall hospital admissions between July 30-Aug. 5, compared with more than 150,000 in one week in January 2022.

Michigan's rate is down 88% from this time last year.

Why it matters: Many of us put COVID-19 in our rearview mirrors, leaving many Americans potentially mentally and practically ill-prepared for another wave.

Experts warn the U.S. is now lacking critical tools to help manage future waves, Axios' Sabrina Moreno recently reported.

What's next: An updated booster is due out this fall. While it wasn't specifically designed with EG.5 in mind, it will likely offer at least some protection, experts told NBC News.

Those behind on their shots need to decide whether it makes sense to wait for the updated booster, or to beef up their protection now in the face of this uptick.

Michigan's falling COVID-19 hospitalizations

The state's rate is down 88% from this time last year.

COVID-19

Statewide COVID-19 hospitalization rates fell 32% between June and July despite <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="signs of a late summer wave" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" data-vars-content-id="6920ccbe-847e-4dc7-997c-c5c830d87fe3" data-vars-headline="Michigan&#x27;s falling COVID-19 hospitalizations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/17/covid-19-cases-2023-uptick-where-why" target="_self">signs of a late summer wave</a> in other parts of the country.By the numbers: The average COVID-19 hospitalization rate nationwide rose about 17% between June and July, per the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="latest available CDC data" data-vars-click-url="https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Weekly-United-States-COVID-19-Hospitalization-Metr/7dk4-g6vg" data-vars-content-id="6920ccbe-847e-4dc7-997c-c5c830d87fe3" data-vars-headline="Michigan&#x27;s falling COVID-19 hospitalizations" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://data.cdc.gov/Public-Health-Surveillance/Weekly-United-States-COVID-19-Hospitalization-Metr/7dk4-g6vg" target="_blank">latest available CDC data</a>.

Data: GasBuddy; Note: Price as of the 1st of each month; Chart: Axios Visuals

A gallon of regular gas cost $3.69 on average across the metro as of Aug. 1, per GasBuddy.

That's down 7.3% from August 2022 and a little less than the nationwide average of $3.76.

Zoom in: After falling to $3.19 in December, prices have risen steadily.

This month saw a 5% jump from July after three consecutive months in the $3.50 range.

The big picture: Nationally, average gas prices are up a bit from the winter months — as expected based on historical patterns — but still lower than last year's highs of nearly $5.

Yes, but: Recent rises were driven by excessive heat in Gulf states like Texas and Louisiana, where many of the country's oil refineries are located, Axios' Emily Peck reports.

What's next: All eyes are on hurricane season, as severe storms can further disrupt refineries — thus reducing supply and raising prices.

Saudi Arabia's continued oil production cut also stands to increase energy prices.

⛽ Gas prices creeping toward $4

A gallon of regular gas cost $3.69 on average.

A gallon of regular gas cost $3.69 on average across the metro as of Aug. 1, per GasBuddy.<ul><li>That&#x27;s down 7.3% from August 2022 and a little less than the nationwide average of $3.76.</li></ul>

Data: U.S. Census; Note: Includes women ages 16 to 50; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

The percentage of Metro Detroit-area women who recently gave birth and are participating in the workforce is shrinking — bucking the national trend of a sharp increase since 2010.

Why it matters: Motherhood often knocks women out of the labor force, at least temporarily — potentially slowing careers and earnings growth while contributing to the gender pay gap.

By the numbers: 64.2% of Metro Detroit women who gave birth in the previous 12 months were participating in the labor force as of 2022, per new census data.

That's compared with 63.6% in 2021 and 66.2% in 2010.

The big picture: Nationally, the percentage of women who recently gave birth and are participating in the workforce reached a decade-plus high-water mark last year — 66.6%.

That's compared with 66.5% in 2021 and 61.6% in 2010.

Driving the news: Remote and flexible work is making it easier for new moms to juggle both parenting and their careers.

In fact, the workplace gender gap is at a record low.

Between the lines: One complicating factor in all this: the skyrocketing cost of child care, which can complicate the decision for a parent to return to work.

Often, it's mothers who wind up staying home — in part because they likely make less to begin with.

Fewer new moms are working in Metro Detroit

Motherhood often knocks women out of the labor force, at least temporarily.

Motherhood

A chart showing the labor force participation rate of women who gave birth in the last year. 

The percentage of Metro Detroit-area women who recently gave birth and are participating in the workforce is shrinking — bucking the national trend of a sharp increase since 2010.Why it matters: Motherhood often knocks women out of the labor force, at least temporarily — potentially slowing careers and earnings growth while contributing to the gender pay gap.

Data: University of Toronto; Note: Seasons are March-May (spring), June-Aug. (summer), Sept.-Nov. (fall) and Dec.-Feb. (winter); Visitors determined by counting unique mobile phones in ZIP codes with high employee density; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Downtown foot traffic is still behind pre-pandemic levels, but big bets on new office and housing developments could change that.

Why it matters: Downtowns are typically the beating economic heart of a city, funneling revenue into city coffers via taxes and more.

Why it matters: The pandemic interrupted a resurgence that began downtown more than a decade ago during developer Dan Gilbert's epic run on property acquisitions and renovations, Detroit Regional Chamber president Sandy Baruah tells Axios.

Return to work has been slower than in other big cities, but restaurants and event spaces are thriving, he says.

By the numbers: New mobile phone activity downtown was recorded this spring at 57% of what it was pre-COVID-19, according to data analyzed by researchers at the School of Cities at the University of Toronto.

Driving the news: The Woodward corridor is replete with ambitious projects to attract new residents and jobs, many incentivized with public funds.

Mega-developers Gilbert, Stephen Ross and the Ilitch family all have office and residential projects.

Smaller-scale projects from other local developers also recently opened or are underway.

Reality check: Grand openings for these projects have been moving targets — delays, project reconfigurations and cost overruns are common.

The first groundbreaking for District Detroit's new $1.5 billion expansion was expected in July. But that didn't happen and officials declined to give a new timeline last week.

State of play: A new demolition permit was just issued at Gilbert's long-anticipated mixed-use development, once known as the Monroe Blocks development and now called the Development on Cadillac Square, Crain's reports.

Demolition plans in 2018 didn't occur as the project faced obstacles.

Between the lines: The sudden demolition of a historic Cass Corridor Chinatown building last month underscores the expectation among many residents that Detroit's downtown development boom takes the city's history into consideration.

Downtown Detroit's steady recovery

Foot traffic is still behind pre-pandemic levels, but higher than last year.

Downtown foot traffic is still behind pre-pandemic levels, but big bets on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new office" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/02/03/district-detroit-expansion-new-office-demand" data-vars-content-id="d7f9f98c-4173-4791-acdf-8787e122e46d" data-vars-headline="Downtown Detroit&#x27;s steady recovery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/02/03/district-detroit-expansion-new-office-demand" target="_self">new office</a> and housing developments could change that.Why it matters: Downtowns are typically the beating economic heart of a city, funneling revenue into city coffers via taxes and more.

Alex Fitzpatrick

Featured stories

Fewer new moms are working in Metro Detroit

Tracking kindergarten vaccine exemptions in Michigan

Michigan's falling COVID-19 hospitalizations

Downtown Detroit's steady recovery

⛽ Gas prices creeping toward $4