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Coronavirus in Michigan: A timeline of closures, event bans, stay-at-home orders

A closed sign is shown at Romeo & Juliet Furniture and Appliances with an empty parking lot in Detroit, Thursday, April 2, 2020. The coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak has triggered a stunning collapse in the U.S. workforce with 10 million people losing their jobs in the past two weeks and economists warn unemployment could reach levels not seen since the Depression, as the economic damage from the crisis piles up around the world. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

DETROIT – The first coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Michigan were reported March 10.

VIEW: Tracking COVID-19 cases, deaths by Michigan county

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Days later, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer temporarily closed all K-12 schools and banned events with more than 250 people.

Following the first cases, Whitmer has signed numerous Executive Orders limiting event sizes and temporarily shuttering businesses.

Below is a timeline of those orders:

March 13, 2020 -- Schools temporarily closed

Whitmer ordered all K-12 schools in the state temporarily closed on March 13. The closures started on March 16 and were to remain in effect through April 5.

Around this same time, many colleges started moving to online classes.

March 13, 2020 -- Events with more than 250 banned

The same day schools were closed, events with more than 250 people were banned.

The ban was supposed to remain in effect through April 5.

March 13 confirmed cases: 28, Death toll: 0

March 16, 2020 -- Gyms, cafes closed; bars, restaurants limited to carryout

With St. Patrick’s Day nearing, bars and restaurants were limited to carryout and delivery on March 16.

The Executive Order imposing this limitation also closed gyms and other fitness and sports recreation facilities, cafes, spas and casinos. While spas were closed, this order did not include barbershops or salons.

These closures and restrictions were slated to remain in effect from March 17 through April 5.

March 16, 2020 -- Events with more than 50 banned

Just days after limiting events to less than 250 people, Whitmer signed an order banning gatherings with more than 50 people.

This order was to be in place from March 17 until April 5.

March 16 confirmed cases: 54, Death toll: 0

March 21, 2020 -- Barbershops, salons, tattoo studios closed

While they weren’t closed in the initial Executive Order that limited which businesses could be open, Whitmer moved to close barbershops, tattoo shops, and hair and nail salons on March 21.

This order was expected to last through April 14.

March 21 confirmed cases: 807, Death toll: 8

March 23, 2020 -- Stay-at-home order issued

Whitmer issued the first stay-at-home order on March 23. This order limited the reasons people could leave their homes.

Under the order, Michiganders could leave home to shop or work if their work was deemed essential. The order banned in-person work that is not necessary to sustain or protect life.

MORE: Why can big box stores stay open?

Businesses that did remain open were required to have the minimum number of employees working onsite, while workplaces were urged to move as many employees to remote work as possible.

The order also prohibited people from meeting with anyone they did not live with with and required people follow social distancing rules by leaving 6 feet between themselves and others when they did go out.

This order was to be in effect from March 24 until April 13.

On April 2, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued an Emergency Order that sets a civil fine of up to $1,000 for violating orders related to the COVID-19 outbreak, namely the stay-at-home order.

READ: What happens if you violate Michigan’s stay-at-home order?

March 23 confirmed cases: 1,328, Death toll: 15

April 2, 2020 -- Schools closed for rest of school year

After temporarily closing schools on March 13, Whitmer shuttered school buildings through the end of the school year just days before students were slated to return to the classroom.

April 2 confirmed cases: 10,791, Death toll: 417

April 9, 2020 -- Stay-at-home order extended

Whitmer extended the state’s stay-at-home order through the end of April after saying she would most likely be extending the April 13 date.

The new order, which was to be in effect through April 30, had the same restrictions as the previous order, while adding stricter rules for stores that are still open.

RELATED: Answers to questions about Michigan’s stay-at-home order

For instance, stores must follow rules to reduce foot traffic, including limiting how many people are in a store at a time, adding six-foot markers on the ground where customers will wait to enter and closing areas of the store that are dedicated to carpeting, flooring, furniture, garden centers, plant nurseries, and paint.

Read the full order here.

This order has received backlash and has led to protests.

April 9 confirmed cases: 21,504, Death toll: 1,076

April 24, 2020 -- Stay-at-home order extended with some restrictions lifted

On April 24, Whitmer extended the stay-at-home order through May 15.

The new order lifts restrictions so some businesses linked to outdoor activities, such as golf and motorized boating.

MORE: Here’s what was reopened in the revised stay-at-home order

Also, landscapers, lawn-service companies, plant nurseries and bike repair shops can resume operating. They must follow social distancing rules.

Stores selling nonessential supplies can reopen for curbside pickup and delivery, and big-box retailers no longer have to close off garden centers and areas dedicated to selling paint, flooring and carpet.

Read the full order here.

The measure immediately replaces the order that was scheduled to expire on April 30.

April 24 confirmed cases: 35,291, Death toll: 2,977

April 30, 2020 -- Closures of theaters, bars, casinos extended; restaurants still limited to carryout

Whitmer signed an order extending her previous order that temporarily closes places like theaters, bars, casinos and more. The order also limits restaurants to carry-out and delivery orders only.

Places of business are still allowed to offer food and beverages but they must use delivery service, window service, walk-up service, drive-through service, or drive-up service.

Restaurants can allow five people inside at a time to pick up orders, as long as they stay 6 feet apart from each other.

The Executive Order is effective immediately and lasts until May 28.

April 30 confirmed cases: 41,379, Death toll: 3,789

May 7, 2020 -- Stay-at-home order extended until May 28

The stay-at-home order was extended until May 28, the same day the state of emergency was extended to.

MORE: Here are the 6 stages in Gov. Whitmer’s plan to fully reopen the state

Despite the extension, manufacturing jobs can resume on May 11.

May 7 confirmed cases: 45,646, Death toll: 4,343


About the Authors
Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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