DETROIT – Michigan officials have extended three-week COVID restrictions until Dec. 20 so they can gauge the impact of Thanksgiving travel.
The order keeps dine-in service closed for restaurants and bars. It also includes a ban on in-person learning for high schools and colleges in the state.
Officials said the 12-day extension will likely not be enough. This may be the most difficult time in Michigan’s struggle with COVID-19 since March, especially with the holidays approaching.
READ: ‘Science is settled’: Michigan health officials defend keeping dine-in service closed in restaurants
On Monday, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Michigan had risen to 404,386, including 9,947 deaths, state officials reported. Monday’s update included both Sunday and Monday data, totaling 9,350 new cases and an additional 93 deaths over the last two days.
The impact of gatherings and travel over the Thanksgiving holiday still hasn’t hit and it’s too early to reopen. The state is revealing new research that supports the additional 12-day pause. It’s a study from Stanford that tracked location data of 98 million people showing close contact without masks and restaurants. Dining in at restaurants is four times riskier than going to a coffee shop or a gym.
Watch the video above for the full report.