What to know today 🌅
Michigan’s new COVID-19 order now in effect
The updated restrictions allowed many entertainment venues to reopen with limited capacity. -- primarily those in which people can remain masked and socially distanced. They are not allowed to serve food or drinks.
Total capacity at those indoor venues will be capped at 100. Visitors must keep masks on and practice social distancing, according to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Here are the venues that have reopened, as of 12:01 a.m. Monday -- view here.
Federal virus relief bill: Top Capitol Hill negotiators sealed a deal Sunday on an almost $1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package. The agreement, announced by Senate leaders, would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefits and $600 direct stimulus payments to most Americans, along with a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses and money for schools, health care providers and renters facing eviction.
Michigan House approves $483 million COVID relief bill: The Michigan House announced Monday morning it has approved a $483 million COVID-19 relief bill that was passed by the Senate on Friday night.
According to the House, the bill includes:
- $64 million in small business survival relief
- $220 million to extend unemployment benefits
- $45 million in direct payments to workers who have been impacted by the virus
- $75 million for hospitals and healthcare workers,
- $22 million for increased testing
- $57 million for vaccine distribution
Trending 📈
🌟 Tonight: Rare ‘Christmas Star’ to be visible for first time in 800 years
According to NASA, Jupiter and Saturn align with one another every 20 years or so, but not nearly as close together as they will be in 2020. The planets have not aligned this closely in about 400 years, nor has their alignment been visible (occurred at night) in about 800 years. The timing of the occurrence couldn’t be more perfect: The winter solstice may be the shortest day of the year, but that also means it’s the longest night of the year -- so there will be plenty of opportunity to take a peak at this once-in-a-lifetime star.
Coronavirus in Michigan 🦠
The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 458,852 as of Saturday, including 11,461 deaths, state officials report.
Saturday’s update includes 3,896 new cases and 187 additional deaths -- including 155 deaths that were identified during a review of records, meaning they did not occur between Friday and Saturday.
The state reported a total of 284,731 recoveries on Saturday.
The state of Michigan no longer provides updates on statewide coronavirus data on Sundays. The next data update is expected Monday afternoon.
On Friday, the state reported a total of 454,956 confirmed cases and 11,274 deaths.
Michigan’s 7-day average for new COVID cases declined to 4,010 as of Saturday, Dec. 19. The state had a total of about 162,700 active cases of COVID-19 as of Saturday.
Hospitalizations started to decline in December. As of Friday night there were 3,261 inpatients with COVID at Michigan hospitals.
According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 17.5 million COVID cases have been reported across the country as of Saturday. More than 315,000 have died in the U.S. from the virus.
Worldwide, more than 76 million people have been confirmed infected and more than 1.6 million have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments.
Here’s a look at more of the data: