Whitmer Extends Lockdown to May 15, Lifts Some Restrictions

 

Michigan’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order has been extended through May 15, although some restrictions have been lifted, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced on Friday.

The order keeps many of the same restrictions previous orders have, such as limiting funerals to fewer than 10 people, keeping only essential business open to the public and prohibiting traveling to vacation rentals. It also requires people to wear homemade face coverings when entering an enclosed public space such as a grocery store, as well as mandates employers to provide non-medical grade coverings for their employees. There is no criminal penalty for not wearing a mask, Whitmer said.

The new order lifts many restrictions; however, allowing big box stores to reopen “closed areas” such as the garden center and for businesses that do not sell essential goods to reopen for curbside pick-up and delivery.

“Data shows that most 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,” Whitmer said in a statement. “With new COVID-19 cases leveling off, however, we are lifting some of the restrictions put in place in the previous order. 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.”

The new order also allows motorized boats and golf, although still prohibits the use of golf carts. It also clarifies that state parks will remain open, as they have throughout the pandemic.

“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 in a statement. “The governor has taken a number of critical steps to protect Michigan families, and this order today will allow that work to continue. We will keep monitoring the data closely and work with our partners across state government to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

Michigan currently has more than 36,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with more than 3,000 recovered cases, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The death toll in the state is 3,085.

Read the full 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].
Photo “Gretchen Whitmer” by Gretchen Whitmer.