UPDATE: Governor Whitmer COVID-19 Daily Update April 27, 2020

Michigan Executive Office of the Governor sent this bulletin at 04/27/2020 06:30 AM EDT

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Below is an update on the 2019 Coronavirus outbreak as of 10:00 PM on 4/26/2020                      

 

UPDATE 

 

  • On Friday, Governor Whitmer announced that she is extending the Stay Home, Stay Safe order until May 15th at a press briefing alongside Chief Medical Executive Dr. Khaldun. The new order will require people to wear homemade face coverings when they enter enclosed public spaces. It will also lift some restrictions on outdoor activities and allow some workers who perform previously suspended activities to go back to work. 

 

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  • This weekend, the governor signed Executive Order 2020-60 to establish strategies to reduce exposure to COVID-19 for both customers and employees. The order also provides temporary relief by suspending certain licensing requirements and regulations for food service industries.     

 

From daily screening to requiring checkout employees to wear a facing covering, the order outlines strategies food establishments and pharmacies must take to reduce possible exposure of COVID-19 to their customers.  

 

“While Michiganders fight this virus, we must continue to take aggressive action to reduce exposure and prevent a second spike in cases,” said Governor Whitmer. “This is not the time to slow our efforts; we must continue to be smart. By establishing these guidelines, we can protect Michigan families and our frontline workers. When we come together, we can slow the spread of this virus and save lives.” 

 

  • The governor signed Executive Order 2020-61 that is an extension of her previous order that relaxes scope of practice laws to give hospitals and other health care facilities the flexibility they need to deploy qualified physicians, respiratory therapists, physician assistants, nurses, and other health care providers the ability to give the critical care needed to combat COVID-19.   

 

“By allowing qualified, dedicated health care workers to treat COVID-19 patients we can continue to slow the spread of the virus and save lives,” said Governor Whitmer. “In these times of crisis, I am grateful for our brave health care workers who are on the front lines every day protecting our families. We will get through this together.”   

 

  • She also signed Executive Order 2020-62 which extends protections for vulnerable populations in Michigan’s county jails, local lockups and juvenile detention centers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The order replaces her previous order 2020-29 and details risk-reduction protocols that have been adopted and implemented by the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) and that county jails and local lockups are strongly encouraged to adopt.  

 

“We continue to take action to protect all Michiganders from COVID-19," said Governor Whitmer. “That includes policies that protect incarcerated persons in our prisons, jails, and juvenile detention centers. By keeping common-sense and safe protocols in place, we can mitigate risk, save lives, and get through this crisis together.” 

 

  • The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced 575 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday. This brings the total number of positive cases of COVID-19 to 37,778. 

 

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HAPPENING ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT 

 

  • The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is working hard to share the over 40,000 available jobs in Michigan to help connect Michiganders to opportunities during COVID-19.  

 

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  • Friday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced that they are expanding testing criteria as the state continues to work to increase testing supplies and access.  Now any Michigander displaying mild symptoms or any essential worker still reporting to work in person, whether symptomatic or not, is eligible to get a test with an order from a health care provider. 

 

MDHHS would like to see 15,000 tests completed daily in Michigan per recommendations by the Harvard Global Health Institute, which published a recommendation of 152 tests per day per 100,000 population to begin to re-open the United States. That level of testing is necessary to identify the majority of people who are infected, and isolate them from people who are healthy, according to the Harvard researchers. 

 

  • While we expand testing, MDHHS is reminding people to do their part and stay home. As of right now there is no vaccine or cure for COVID-19, and our best defense is to reduce the spread by reducing person-to-person contact. It is imperative that we all recognize that our first line of defense is our front doors.  

 

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RESOURCES 

 

 

MEDIA COVERAGE 

 

 

A BIT OF RELIEF  

 

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