Overnight summer camps will now be allowed to meet beginning June 15, according to an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday.
Day camps were allowed to open on June 8 per an order from Whitmer handed down on June 1. The most recent order comes as the state continues to open various services and businesses, including restaurants, gyms, and salons.
“As we’ve worked together to bend the curve and protect our families from COVID-19, our kids have lost time in the classroom and missed out on playdates, birthday parties and graduations,” Whitmer said in a statement. “That’s why I’m glad they’ll have an opportunity to spend a week or weekend away at camp.”
The order requires camps to follow regulations issued by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affair, which Whitmer said would be released in the coming days. Guidelines for day camps have already been published by LARA.
The order also allows certain K-12 school sports activities and other in-person extracurricular school activities to resume, provided rules about social distancing and other safety measures are followed.
“This is another significant milestone for Michigan as we continue to slowly and safely reopen our economy, and I want to thank Michiganders for doing their part to flatten the curve,” Whitmer said. “While this is good news, there’s still more work to do to protect Michigan families from the spread of this virus, avoid a second wave, and protect the heroes on the front lines. We will get through this together.”
Michigan currently has nearly 60,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The death toll in the state is 5,745. There are more than 42,000 confirmed cases that are considered recovered.
Read the executive order here.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Michigan Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair. Email her at [email protected].
