Citing improving pandemic conditions and a “statewide overall plateau” in new cases of COVID-19, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer increased the appearance of more light at the end of the tunnel today saying that we are in a position to begin reopening certain sectors of the Michigan economy beginning with the residential and commercial construction trades and “additional outdoor enterprises,” even as they take a cautious look at re-engaging industrial sectors across the state.
Whitmer would not give a determined timeline, only offering “within the next few days, or maybe a week or two,” as they work through the data, she will release other sectors from the stay home restrictions that have been in place for weeks now. She warned again, however, that “I will be guided by the data, and there will be no hard and fast timeline.” She says, “As we set dates I’ll keep everyone informed, but this will not be an on-and-off switch, it will be more like a dial that we can move up and down as necessary.”
Multiple workplace safety factors will be employed in the rollout with stringent requirements as Michigan slowly re-engages. Saying, “Nobody wants to re-engage as much as I do,” Whitmer reminded that, “While we have had a slow decline in the numbers, we are not out of the woods yet.” Nevertheless she expressed her “cautious optimism,” and adds she’ll be watching very carefully for areas of upticks across the state.
Construction trades and other outdoor businesses that can “successfully engage in social distancing” will be among the first to get back to work under what Whitmer has introduced today as the MI Safe Start Plan. She says “The MI Safe Start Plan will take into account the various sectors of our economy, geographic and workplace risk, as well as our public health ability and workplace protocols to mitigate that risk,” adding, “MI Safe Start will be incremental, starting with workplace types that pose less risk.”
Gov. Whitmer says businesses who re-engage will need to protect their employees through key practices including:
- Carefully monitoring employees for symptoms…
- Instituting an array of social distancing techniques in the workplace…
- Strengthening sanitation and hygiene…
- Providing recommended protective equipment like masks and face shields…
DTE Energy CEO Gerry Anderson provided a detailed look at the work that major industry leaders have been assembling for the governor to help guide her strategy going forward, showing that the state has been divided into 8 regions geographically and studied for two factors — Labor Shed (or how people get to and from work) and Healthcare Capacity.
As they track the status of the coronavirus’ density and trajectory in each of the 8 regions, best practices will be employed to determine how quickly each region and the business sectors within each region can re-engage and get back to work.
Anderson warned the business community, “Face masks will be ubiquitous” for the foreseeable future in the Michigan workplace as a critical best practice. The state will set the rules of the road, and as feedback continues to be evaluated on how best to re-engage by region and by business sector, the plan will advance.
You can click the link below to see several slides Anderson shared in a Power Point presentation this afternoon on the re-engagement plan:
