DETROIT – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that the state’s response to rising COVID cases should be to begin shutting things down.
That announcement came Monday just days after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asked residents statewide for a two week pause.
She has opted out of a mandated shutdown. On Monday, she spoke at a Michigan vaccine event to address the questions about whether future shutdowns are possible.
The governor came to the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center and toured a long running vaccination program.
She took the chance to discuss where Michigan stands in battling the virus. While the governor is deeply concerned about the state’s alarming rise in COVID-19 cases she will not shut the state down as she did previously.
The possibility of a new executive order isn’t being taken completely off the table, but Whitmer said she believes Michiganders have the tools needed to slow the spread without additional action from MDHHS.
Instead, she’s asking residents to follow a new set of voluntary restrictions for two weeks.
Whitmer asked Michigan high schools to return to remote learning for the next two weeks.
She also called on youth sports to voluntarily suspend games and practices for two weeks.
Restaurants are allowed to remain open at 50% capacity, but officials are asking Michiganders to avoid indoor dining for the next two weeks.
The state recommends avoiding gatherings with people from other households entirely, but if there are gatherings, officials want people to wear masks.
Watch more: Michigan governor and Republican lawmakers spar over threshold for future shutdowns
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