Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), directing all Michigan business and operations temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life.
The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.
“This is the only tool we have to fight it at the moment and support our health care system to respond is to give them the opportunity to respond,” Said Whitmer during a press conference. “The disease can’t spread person- to- person if we’re not out there.”
Gretchen Whitmer’s shelter-in-place directive will ask the state’s nearly 10 million residents to avoid all nonessential travel and to remain at home and will go at least for the next three weeks.
“In just 13 days, we’ve gone 0 to over 1,000 COVID-19 cases,” Whitmer said. “This is an unprecedented crisis that requires all of us working together to protect our families and our communities. The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home. I know this will be hard, but it will be temporary. If we all come together, get serious, and do our part by staying home, we can stay safe and save lives. “
“If we stay on our current trajectory, just like Italy, over 70% of our people could get infected with COVID-19. Of that 7 million projected about a million of them to be hospitalized. Let me give you a little perspective here. We have about 25,000 acute care beds in Michigan. Think about that, “she said.
The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. On Tuesday and will last through April 13.
The sweeping mandate is not a recommendation, Whitmer said at a Monday morning press conference, but an order. However, there are exemptions for essential employees and residents will still be allowed to make trips to the grocery store or hospitals or exercise outdoors.
“The goal here is simple: Stay home. Stay Safe, save lives,” said Whitmer. “I know this is hard. I know this is going to be disruptive. It’s certainly going to be hard on our economy as well. But our actions save lives.”
