Whitmer extends state of emergency, bars and restaurants to remain closed until May 28
LANSING, Mich.— Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Friday gave an update to the state’s COVID-19 response during a press conference, less than a day after she signed executive orders that extend the state's emergency and disaster declarations until May 28.
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Pat Devlin of the Michigan Building Trades and Ryan Maibach, President and CEO of Barton Mallow joined Whitmer for the update.
On May 1, Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-70, which allows types of work that present a low risk of infection, like construction, real-estate activities, and work primarily and traditionally performed outside, to resume on May 7.
Whitmer thanked law enforcement officials for their assistance on Thursday at the capitol, as protestors descended on Lansing to speak out against the Stay Home, Stay Safe order. Some protestors were reportedly armed during the demonstration.
On Thursday night, Whitmer signed multiple new executive orders to extend the state of emergency and disaster declaration until May 28.
Executive Order 2020-69 keeps restaurants, bars, theaters, performance venues, libraries, museums, gyms and fitness centers, casinos and more closed to in-person guests until May 28 at 11:59 p.m.
Facilities that offer “non-essential personal care services,” such as hair, nail, tanning, massage, spa, and tattoo shops must also remain closed through May 28.
The order encourages establishments to offer food and beverage using delivery, walk-up, window, drive-through, or drive-up services.
Businesses that fall under the new order's closures can have up to five members of the public at one time inside to pick up food or beverage orders as long as they remain six feet apart.
Executive Order 2020-69 follows a series of executive orders that terminated the previous states of emergency and disaster declarations.
The governor then signed a new executive order that extends the state of emergency and disaster declarations until May 28 at 11:59 p.m. Whitmer cited the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945 and the Emergency Management Act of 1976.
All of the new orders follow a refusal by the state house and senate to pass an extension of the previous executive order that initially declared the emergency.
The new executive orders are all related to the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whitmer also extended the state's stay-at-home order, which is different from the state of emergency and disaster declaration, to last until May 15, with the caveat that people now wear face coverings when inside of enclosed public places.