Noting that last week Michigan surpassed 100,000 case of the coronavirus during the pandemic, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued a new Executive Order today extending the current State of Emergency until 11:59pm on Thursday, October 1st, 2020.
Calling it “further action to protect the health and safety of Michiganders,” Whitmer says that her Executive Order 2020-177 will allow the state to continue to mobilize resources and take the reasonable and necessary steps to protect Michiganders and their families.
In making the announcement, the governor says, “Last week, Michigan surpassed 100,000 cases and families continue to lose loved ones to COVID-19. With over 6,500 deaths, the virus continues to threaten the lives of Michiganders every day. COVID-19 is a novel virus with many unknowns, but we do know that it is widespread, it is easily transmitted, and its effects can be fatal. We must continue to take this seriously and do everything we can to protect ourselves and all Michiganders from COVID-19.”
Whitmer says, “By extending the state of emergency, we can continue the crucial work needed to save lives. Since March, I have been committed to using every tool at my disposal to protect families, frontline workers, and our economy from the threat of COVID-19. I urge Michiganders to do their part by wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing and staying safe and smart.”
Whitmer’s administration reports that in early August, every region in Michigan saw an uptick in new cases which recently put Michigan past the 100,000 COVID-19 cases mark. They note that he state’s percent of positivity remains below the national average: in Michigan, 3.3-percent of all COVID-19 tests administered were positive, whereas nationally it was 6.1-percent. Additionally, Michigan has a considerably lower percent of positivity than surrounding states.
Whitmer argues that the science continues to show that this virus can affect everyone, including children, saying that in fact, “in an alarming trend, both nationwide and here in Michigan, younger people have constituted a growing share of new cases.” She continues to suggest that in order to protect public health, everyone must continue to do their part to fight COVID-19 by wearing a mask, staying physically distant and limiting large social gatherings under the governor’s orders.
Michigan health officials remind that COVID-19 is widespread, easily transmitted by airborne particles, and potentially fatal. “That lethal combination, combined with ongoing uncertainty about how to defeat it, means that the health, economic, and social harms of the COVID-19 pandemic remain severe and affect every corner of this state. The COVID-19 pandemic therefore constitutes a statewide emergency and disaster.”
To view Executive Order 2020-177, click the link below:
