Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday the end of the state’s stay-at-home order effective immediately with restrictions lifting within the next week for various sectors of the economy.
Starting Monday, residents are not required to stay home as much as possible as long as they continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines and safety measures.
For businesses, several sectors of the economy will be allowed to either reopen for the first time or extend their services beyond what has been allowed under the prior order. Whitmer announced the entire state has moved into phase 4 of the MI Safe Start recovery plan.
“The data has shown that we are ready to carefully move our state into the next phase of the MI Safe Start Plan, but we owe it to our brave frontline heroes to get this right,” Whitmer said in a press release.
“While Michiganders are no longer required to stay home, we must all continue to be smart and practice social distancing, and encourage those who meet the criteria to get tested for COVID-19. If we all do our part, our goal is to announce a shift to phase five for the entire state prior to the fourth of July. Stay smart, stay safe, and let’s all do our part.”
It’s worth noting that local governments have the authority to enact further restrictions if they deem them necessary to protect the public health.
Here are some of what will and will not be allowed — and when — as ordered by the governor.
June 1
Michiganders are no longer required to stay home regardless of the activity or reason for leaving.
Indoor social gatherings of groups of 10 or less involving people who do not live inside the same household remain allowed.
Outdoor gatherings of up to 100 people are now permitted as long as people following social distancing guidelines and those who do not live in the same home remain six feet apart.
Outdoor parks and recreational facilities may be open if they can modify the site to allow for six feet of distance between people who do not live in the same home. Areas of parks where social distancing cannot be maintained must remain closed.
Office work that cannot be completed at home can be done in an office, but businesses are asked to allow any work that can be done at home to continue to be done at home.
House cleaners can resume.
Drive-in theaters can reopen.
June 4
Retailers will be allowed to reopen without scheduling an appointment with customers. However, they will have to adhere to social distancing guidelines, require masks and limit their capacity.
June 8
Bars and restaurants will be allowed to open for indoor and outdoor dining at 50% capacity as long as each table is six feet apart from others. This includes food courts inside the designated areas of airports.
Day camps for children will reopen with further guidelines from the state.
Outdoor public swimming pools can reopen at 50% capacity. Indoor pools must remain closed.
Libraries and museums may reopen.
Outdoor fitness classes, athletic practices, training sessions, or games are permitted as long as coaches, spectators, and participants not from the same household maintain six feet of distance from one another at all times during such activities, and that equipment and supplies are shared to the minimum extent possible and are subject to frequent and thorough disinfection and cleaning.
Indoor gymnasiums, fitness centers, recreation centers, sports facilities, exercise facilities, exercise studios, and the like remain closed.
Facilities offering non-essential personal care services, including hair, nail, tanning, massage, traditional spa, tattoo, body art, and piercing services, and similar personal care services that involve close contact of persons remain closed.
Casinos licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, racetracks licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, and Millionaire Parties licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board remain closed.
Indoor services or facilities, or outdoor services or facilities involving close contact of persons, for amusement or other recreational or entertainment purposes, such as amusement parks, arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, indoor climbing facilities, indoor dance areas, skating rinks, trampoline parks, and other similar recreational or entertainment facilities are also closed.
June 10
State forest campgrounds and DNR-operated harbors are set to reopen.
June 15
Some bottle returns in the state will reopen.
June 22
State campgrounds and overnight shelters are slated to reopen.
Whitmer said during Monday’s press conference that she hopes to move the state into phase 5 of her plan in the next two to three weeks as long as the data continues to show the state isn’t seeing an increase in cases. In that phase, businesses like gyms and hair salons are expected to reopen with certain safety guidelines and restrictions in place.
PREVENTION TIPS
In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.
Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.
Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.
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