Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended her Stay Home Stay Safe Order two weeks to May 15. Recent COVID-19 statistics however have caused the governor to ease some restrictions.
Accompanied with social distancing, Whitmer’s new order allows:
- boating
- golfing
- landscaping/lawn care services resume
- nonessential retailers reopen for curbside pickup or delivery
- stores can reopen previously closed areas (gardening, paint, etc.)
“With new COVID-19 cases leveling off, however, we are lifting some of the restrictions put in place in the previous order,” said Whitmer. “I want to be crystal clear: the overarching message today is still the same. We must all do our part by staying home and staying safe as much as possible.”
Wearing masks in public spaces is still required and employers are required to provide face coverings for employees. Although under the new order, no one will be subject to criminal penalty for not wearing a mask; in Whitmer’s latest press conference, she said businesses can deny service to anyone not wearing a face covering.
Although Michigan is headed in the right direction, state officials implore the public to continue taking proper precautions.
“The numbers we’ve seen in the past week have shown a plateau in positive cases, but Michiganders must continue doing their part to fight this virus and protect their families,” said MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “The governor has taken a number of critical steps to protect Michigan families, and this order today will allow that work to continue.”
This is Michigan’s first step towards reopening. However, the governor says her office will continue to monitor data and cautions it will not proceed further if cases rise. Whitmer said success against COVID-19 is gauged by the actions of the public.
“Michiganders are doing their part by staying home and staying safe. That’s good, but we must keep it up. Social distancing is our best weapon to defeat this enemy.”
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