State Sen. Scott Jensen (R-Chaska), a practicing physician, has sounded the alarm about a CDC guidance that gives doctors the authority to include “suspected or likely” cases of COVID-19 on death certificates.
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The office of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer confirmed to FOX 2 that the governor will announce an extension of the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order on Thursday.
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Michigan legislature voted on Tuesday to approve an extension of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers through the end of April.
The governor originally asked for a 70-day extension of emergency powers, but Michigan legislators said they felt that was too much.
“I agree that there needs to be an extension; we’re far from being out of the woods on this issue. But I believe 70 days looks too far forward considering the information we have now and how quickly that changes,” said Sen. Rick Outman (R-33-Six Lakes) in a statement. “The best thing to do for the immediate future is continue following suggested protocols and stay at home to keep you, your family and your community safe.”
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said that she expects to extend the stay-at-home order originally expected to end April 14.
Whitmer originally instituted the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order on March 24, saying that the stay-at-home order would stay in effect for the three weeks. Just days before, on March 22, Whitmer had also ordered that “public accommodation” like bars, theaters and gyms to close, as well as restricted restaurants to take-out or delivery only. That order is slated to end on April 13.
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An emergency order was issued late Saturday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) that shortens the length of time coroner and funeral staff have to notify state officials when someone dies of COVID-19 to 24 hours.
“MDHHS is committed to protecting the public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why I am issuing this emergency order,” MDHHS Director Robert Gordon said said in a statement.
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Two state representatives are calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to relax her executive orders to allow some businesses to operate if they can adhere to social distancing guidelines.
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Michigan saw its largest daily increase of confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday with nearly 2,000 new cases confirmed, according to analysis from MLive.
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Michigan residents failing to comply with the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order could be fined up to $1,000 and see criminal penalties, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced on Thursday.
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Michigan schools will be closed for the rest of the school year or until coronavirus restrictions are lifted, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Thursday. Distance learning will take place instead, she said.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared of a state of disaster for Michigan as well as extended the state of emergency, she announced on Wednesday.
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The Michigan National Guard is helping Detroit prepare additional space to care for COVID-19 patients.
About 20 members of the Michigan National Guard will help the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) form a Federal Medical Station (FMS) at TCF Center in Detroit from Tuesday through today.
Those members will manage inventory to prepare for the care of those with COVID-19.
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Grants are now available for small businesses looking to retool their companies to help manufacture goods in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced on Wednesday.
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State Rep. Triston Cole (R-Mancelona) asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to allow some nonessential businesses to reopen if they follow social distancing guidelines.
Cole sent a letter to Whitmer on Monday, claiming her stay-at-home order hurt small businesses, including those in the construction and landscaping industry. Both of those industries, said Cole, allowed workers to work safely while staying apart from each other.
“I certainly understand where our governor is coming from. Public safety must always be the main priority,” Cole said in a statement. “However, keeping people employed and businesses operating must also be a priority.”
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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced that it has closed Tippy Dam Recreation Area in Manistee County after a surge in visitors led to instances of improper social distancing and nonessential travel.
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The state and the U.S. Department of Labor agreed to expand unemployment benefits to Michigan workers who previously didn’t qualify.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the agreement Monday. The benefits extension will be funded by the $2 trillion federal CARES Act President Donald Trump signed into law on Friday.
The extension includes self-employed, 1099-independent contractors, gig, and low-wage workers who can no longer work because of temporary business closures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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Michigan is keeping pace with some of the most-infected states in the country, with more than 35 percent of tests coming back with confirmed positive cases of the coronavirus, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.
As of Monday evening, Michigan has 6,498 confirmed positive cases out of 18,391 total tested — an infection rate of 35.3 percent. By comparison, New Jersey has an infection rate of 39.7 percent with 16,636 confirmed cases and New York has an infection rate of 35.7 percent with 66,497 confirmed cases. New York and New Jersey are the top two most-infected states in the country, followed by Michigan. California is currently the fourth most-infected state with 6,447 confirmed cases and an infection rate of 21.5 percent.
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Hundreds of thousands of Chinese-made KN95 protective masks distributed to hospitals treating the COVID-19 Chinese coronavirus in the Netherlands have proven to be unreliable and are being recalled, according to a report.
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President Donald Trump on Sunday said the federal government is extending to April 30 its guidelines on social distancing and other measures to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed more than 2,300 Americans. “The better you do, the faster this whole nightmare will end,” Trump…
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order to reconnect residents’ water services that had been shut off.
The governor signed the $2 million Water Restart Grant Program on Saturday. The suspension of the public utility shut-offs were mandated effective immediately.
“This is a critical step both for the health of families living without a reliable water source, and for slowing the spread of the Coronavirus,” Whitmer said in a statement. “We continue to work to provide all Michiganders – regardless of their geography or income level – the tools they need to keep themselves and their communities protected.”
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As the 10th most populated state in the country, Michigan may be a major beneficiary of the federal stimulus package currently winding through the U.S. Capitol.
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Michigan pharmacies are now able to dispense emergency refills of prescriptions, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Wednesday.
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President Donald Trump said Thursday that his administration is working on a county-level approach to the coronavirus that will enable the government to identify hotspots across the nation.
Doing so will allow social distancing measures to be relaxed or tightened based on the number of confirmed cases in each county, Trump said in a letter sent Thursday to the nation’s governors.
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The coronavirus has thrown our entire society in disarray, and no less poignant an example exists than our K-12 public schools. The closure of schools across the country has stopped the normal learning process dead in its tracks. In a valiant attempt to continue, many districts have sought to leverage long distance learning. Unfortunately, weaknesses in the law, technological infrastructure, and teacher preparation, as well as inequities among students, are barriers to success. For example, the Michigan Department of Education has announced that under the law, virtual learning will not count for funding purposes as “seat time.”
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has submitted a request to President Trump to ask him for a major disaster declaration, which would allow the state to aid its residents in a variety of ways.
If granted in full, the declaration would allow the state to provide meals for families in need, rental assistance and temporary housing, as well as funding for field hospitals and mental health support.
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The economic fallout caused by the coronavirus pandemic includes massive unemployment caused by government-mandated shutdowns of businesses throughout Michigan.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reported 129,298 Michigan employees filed unemployment claims last week. Government figures indicate that number has increased from nearly 5,338 people filing unemployment claims reported March 14, a difference of more than 123,960.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the deadline to tally the votes from the Michigan primary by executive order on Wednesday due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
The canvassing deadline for the March 10 primary was originally March 24, according to a guideline from the state of Michigan. Whitmer’s order has pushed it back to April 24.
“I am grateful to Governor Whitmer for ensuring our democracy will remain robust during this public health crisis,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in a statement. “Providing more time to canvass the recent election will provide certainty for Michiganders that our elections are accurate and worth everyone participating in.”
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School food services will be considered critical infrastructure under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, according to an announcement from the governor’s office on Monday.
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As Michigan hospitals face potential shortages of medical supplies, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is asking Michigan residents and businesses to donate face masks, personal protective equipment and other essential medical supplies.
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CVS Health plans on hiring 50,000 employees to fill full-time, part-time and temporary positions as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the United States, the company announced on Monday.
Available roles include store associates, home delivery drivers, distribution center employees and customer service employees. CVS said many roles will be filled by employees from current CVS Health clients that have had to furlough workers, such as Hilton and Marriott.
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Michigan residents have been ordered to stay inside their homes as part of a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Monday.
The order, effective at 12:01 a.m. on March 24, prohibits people leaving their home unless they are engaged in an outdoor activity, performing necessary tasks like going to a hospital or grocery store, or are part of an industry deemed essential. The lockdown will be in place for three weeks.
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More than 55,000 Michiganders filed unemployment claims between Monday and Wednesday, according to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).
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General Motor Co. has announced it will be working with a ventilator manufacturer to increase the production of medical devices needed for treating those with COVID-19.
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The State of Connecticut has gotten on board with the CDC to report negative test results to help the agency better track the spread of the coronavirus, leaving Ohio and Maryland as the only holdouts in complying with federal law.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine asked President Trump and Congress on Friday to support the auto industry during the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced on Saturday that its branch offices will be returning to its regularly scheduled hours with limited services and scheduled appointment.
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Three states out of the total 50 being tracked by the COVID Tracking Project have been given the letter grade of “D” for data tracking quality.
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Non-essential medical and dental procedure are temporarily suspended during the pandemic, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Friday after signing an executive order.
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Citing the need to have the ability to self-quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has temporarily suspended evictions in Michigan via executive order on Friday.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order temporarily suspending parts of the Open Meetings Act (OMA), so public groups can meet electronically through April 15.
“We are taking every measure we can to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and protect Michigan families, but recognize that public bodies still have an obligation to conduct business as usual,” Whitmer said in a news release.
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During the coronavirus pandemic, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Amy Acton have taken a number of actions, some controversial, designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Just in the last ten days, DeWine has closed bars and schools, postponed primaries and banned mass gatherings.…
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Michigan is now reporting its first death from the coronavirus in addition to a rising total of 336 confirmed cases.
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Michigan Department of Attorney General Dana Nessel sent a cease-and-desist letter to Menards after the department received 18 complaints from consumers about price-gouging. Nessel reported that the company was selling face masks, bleach, and other products at high prices.
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Chloroquine, a common antimalarial drug, has shown promising results in treating COVID-19 coronavirus in South Korea and China, according to a white paper.
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CNN has been critical of President Donald Trump for blaming the Chinese for the coronavirus; however, the network referenced the coronavirus as “The Chinese Coronavirus” on Twitter on January 21.
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The Michigan Department of Education has published a map to make it easier for families who rely on schools for meals to find locations where they are being provided.
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Michigan currently has 53 confirmed cases of the coronavirus after 20 more cases were recently confirmed, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced on Sunday.
The virus, identified by medical professionals as COVID-19, has been confirmed in seven different counties: Washtenaw County, Oakland County, Macomb County, Kent County, Wayne County, Ottawa County and St. Clair County. It has also been confirmed in the city of Detroit.
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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a sweeping executive order Monday that orders the closure of several public places in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Under the executive order, the following places of public accommodation were required to close: restaurants, cafes, coffee houses, bars, taverns, brewpubs, distilleries, clubs, movie theaters, indoor and outdoor performance venues, gymnasiums, fitness centers, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities, exercise studios, spas, and casinos.
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The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) announced Friday that it will cut off in-person prison visits, effective immediately, to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
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Michigan’s U.S. senators sent a letter to the Trump administration Friday requesting a special health insurance enrollment window in response the coronavirus outbreak.
Read More Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order Friday banning all public gatherings of more than 250 people in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
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