UPDATE: Governor Whitmer COVID-19 Daily Update May 23

VACCINE UPDATE  

 

• The state of Michigan has administered 8,021,768 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, with 34,664 administered on May 20. 

 

To view the total distribution of vaccines and more vaccine information, visit www.michigan.gov/covidvaccine to view the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard.     

 

               

 

Note: CDC data has not been updated yet. 57.1% is the most updated figure available and was released on May 20. 

 

ICYMI 

 

• Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement as Michigan surpasses eight million vaccine doses administered. To date, 57% of Michiganders have received at least one dose.   

"Today, Michigan will surpass eight million doses administered of the safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines,” said Governor Whitmer. “Michigan is emerging from the once-in-a-century pandemic and gearing up to jumpstart the economy. The hope that we feel today is thanks to the millions of Michiganders who have gotten vaccinated to keep themselves, their families, and communities safe. We also owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to every frontline Michigander who played such a vital role keeping our communities going during uncertain times and those who continue to stand on the front lines working to get shots in arms. They are the heroes of this crises. Thanks to them and every Michigander who has gotten vaccinated, on June 1st, we will be opening up all outdoor events at 100% capacity and indoor events at 50%, and on July 1st, we will be 100% open except for a few targeted guidelines to keep vulnerable populations safe. We will have the Independence Day and summer that we all crave, and together, we will build back better. Michigan is poised to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, build up our crumbling infrastructure, invest in our kids and schools, and get back to a new normal as a stronger, more resilient state.” 

• With more and more jobs requiring skills and training beyond a high school diploma, the Michigan Reconnect program is providing a tuition-free path to an associate degree or a skills certificate – putting more than 70,000 Michiganders on a path to fill the state’s most in-demand, high-wage careers – exceeding the state’s goal of 60,000 by Memorial Day. 

"A talented and skilled workforce helps build a strong economy and puts Michigan on the map as a place for opportunity,” Gov. Whitmer said. “Businesses need skilled talent so they can thrive in our vibrant communities. I’m proud of the hardworking men and women who have taken the leap to continue their education and I look forward to ongoing bipartisan work with lawmakers to connect millions of Michiganders to the resources they need to succeed in a good-paying career.” 

• Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist stopped at Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in Saginaw as part of his ‘Making Real Change’ tour to promote vaccinations in cities across the state. The ‘Making Real Change’ tour will highlight the administration’s continued efforts to flatten and eliminate racial disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on what the state has learned to apply those lessons to equitably administering vaccines and building the resilience required to reduce racial disparities in health and other areas within communities.   

"The Making Real Change tour highlights equitable vaccine access across the state and encourages people who may be hesitant to get the safe, effective vaccine,” said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. “Saginaw has been resilient throughout the pandemic, even as COVID-19 has disproportionally harmed Black Michiganders and other people of color across the state. We must listen to and address the specific needs of communities and equip local leaders with the resources necessary to inspire relatives, friends, and other loved ones to get vaccinated. The best thing all of us can do to protect ourselves, our families, and neighbors is to get vaccinated, so we can grow the economy, create jobs, and get back to doing the things we love together.” 

• Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement after experts at the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) revised previous estimates as Michigan’s economic outlook continues to grow stronger. As the administration pushes forward with its plan to put Michigan back to work, the state went from a projected budget deficit of more than $3 billion to now having a surplus of $3.5 billion in addition to the billions in federal funding from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act, and the state is expecting the largest baseline revenue growth in nearly 20 years at 9.7%. 

"The revised revenue projections demonstrate our success in effectively handling the pandemic and helping the economy recover quickly. These numbers are a sign of brighter days ahead for Michigan’s families, communities, and small businesses,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “By leading with science and data from the start, we weathered the storm of COVID-19, and took our state from a projected $3 billion deficit to a $3.5 billion surplus. Things are looking up. After a once-in-a-century pandemic, we are gearing up to jumpstart the economy. Together, thanks to the millions of Michiganders who have gotten vaccinated and those who served on the frontlines of the pandemic, we will make sure that Michigan families and small businesses can emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever. Soon, we will be 100% open and have the Independence Day and summer that we all crave. Going forward, our task is simple: build back better. With the federal relief funds headed our way and higher state revenues than expected, we can make lasting, transformative investments in our future, create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, build up our crumbling infrastructure, support our kids and schools, and get back to a new normal as a stronger, more resilient state.”  

• MDHHS announced 1,013 cases of COVID-19 from Saturday. This brings the total number of positive cases of COVID-19 to 883,202.  

 

 

https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus 

 

HAPPENING ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT 

 

• State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks, State Budget Director Dave Massaron, Senate Fiscal Agency Director Chris Harkins and House Fiscal Agency Director Mary Ann Cleary today reached consensus on revised economic and revenue figures for the remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 and for the upcoming 2022 and 2023 fiscal years. 

"The federal stimulus programs have continued to benefit our economy, producing a tremendous boost to our state's future economic outlook and revenue picture," State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said. "Public health and the economy go together--the better the health situation the better the economy. As our vaccination rate continues to rise and our cases continue to fall, we are moving closer to normalcy. There is a great sense of optimism as we move forward this year." 

• Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) applauding the agency for its proposed rule to undo the Trump Administration's harmful 2019 Title X Rule. 

 

A BIT OF RELIEF 

 

 

RESOURCES 

 

• Vaccine Locator 

• COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard 
• CDC Situation Updates 
• Michigan Updates 
• Map of country-specific travel health information 
• About COVID-19 

• COVID-19 Hotline 1-888-535-6136