Anyone with reason to be tested for COVID-19 can now do so, thanks to an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday, May 26.
The order allows for anyone who has been working outside their home for at least 10 days or who has symptoms of the virus to receive a test at a community testing location, without first having to secure a doctor’s order in advance.
People who exhibit any symptom of COVID-19, have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 or reside in any group setting, like a long-term care facility or homeless shelter, also qualify to be tested.
To find a community testing site near you, visit the state’s testing locator website or call the Michigan coronavirus hotline at 1-888-535-6136 for more information.
Michigan has also begun reporting statewide diagnostic and antibody testing separately after previously reporting them together. The news came as antibody testing has become more widely available to the public.
Below is a look at more of the most recent developments in the COVID-19 crisis in Michigan:
Michigan’s 7-day average for new coronavirus cases is lowest in 2 months
Michigan health officials announced 223 more confirmed cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, of which nearly half came from Wayne County.
The state also announced 26 new deaths linked to COVID-19. Since mid-March, the state has reported 55,104 confirmed cases of the infectious respiratory virus and 5,266 deaths associated with the virus over the last 12 weeks.
State health officials have pointed to the seven-day moving average as a better way to evaluate trends than the daily case announcements. The newest seven-day average for confirmed cases (393) is the lowest since March 23 when the average was 360 and climbing, though decreased reporting over the holiday weekend could have played a factor in dropping the moving average.
Whitmer says husband’s boat launch request was ‘failed attempt at humor’
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer confirmed her husband made “a failed attempt at humor” over the weekend after a comment he made to a docking company drew criticism from conservatives.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Tad Dowker, owner of NorthShore Dock LLC, said a man called the company a few days before Memorial Day weekend asking if he could put his boat in the water.
According to Dowker’s post, when office staff said the company started working three weeks late so that was not going to happen, staff told him the caller said, “I am the husband to the governor, will this make a difference?” The post said they were moved to the back of the waiting list.
“He thought it might get a laugh,” she said. “It didn’t. And to be honest, I wasn’t laughing either when it was relayed to me, because I knew how it would be perceived.”
Gov. Whitmer’s relationship with Republican leaders is at an all-time low. Now they need to solve a $3.2B problem together.
Almost exactly a year ago, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, stood on the porch of the Grand Hotel, beaming as the governor affixed her signature to historic auto insurance legislation they had cut through partisan disagreements to achieve.
“Today, I think, is a model for how we can and must continue to move forward,” Whitmer said at the time. “This bipartisanship shows divided government does not have to look like Washington D.C., it can be a Michigan brand based on our dedication and fidelity to solving problems for the people we serve.”
But that spirit of collaboration has eroded over the last year, fracturing the once-functional relationship between Whitmer and Republican leaders at a time when experts say they must to work together to fill a $3.2 billion budget hole stemming from the economic effects of COVID-19.
Gyms sue Gov. Whitmer in bid to reopen, overturn stay-at-home order
A group of independently-owned gyms and fitness centers is suing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the state’s top health official in a bid to overturn the state’s stay-at-home order and allow them to reopen.
In a lawsuit filed Friday, May 22, in the U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, attorneys representing more than 120 gyms in Michigan argued that Whitmer’s executive orders to prevent the spread of coronavirus violate their clients’ rights under the U.S. Constitution and are not allowed under state law.
“The governor’s impingement of constitutional rights must be narrowly tailored, and continuing to keep gyms completely shuttered is the exact opposite of that,” said attorney Scott M. Erskine, who is representing the League of Independent Fitness Facilities and Trainers and several other fitness facilities in the state.
Michigan extends food assistance program during coronavirus pandemic
Approximately 350,000 Michigan families that participate in the state’s food assistance program will receive additional benefits for the month of May to ease the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
After extending the program’s assistance benefits in March and April, the state announced Tuesday, May 26, that it would provide the maximum benefits to more families by May 31.
Eligible participants will receive between $194 and $1,164 on their Michigan Bridge Card for the month of May, depending how many people make up their family.
‘Social zones’ to expand outdoor bar, restaurant service in Grand Rapids
Bars and restaurants could expand outdoor seating — once Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s order prohibiting in-person dining is lifted — under a new program created by the city of Grand Rapids to help businesses recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
So-called “social zones” can be established on public property, such as streets, sidewalks and parking lots, throughout the city through a special permit.
The zones are designed to give restaurants space to serve more customers, since their inside dining rooms will likely be required to operate at reduced capacity to ensure social distancing once they’re allowed to reopen.
60% of Washtenaw County businesses lost half their revenue during COVID-19 shutdown, report says
Almost two-thirds of Washtenaw County businesses said they lost more than 50 percent of their expected revenue since February, according to a report released Tuesday.
EntryPoint, a nonprofit research group, surveyed more than 400 Washtenaw County businesses about the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the local economy. The survey found that 60% of survey respondents say they saw a 50% decrease in revenue since February. An additional 12% saw between 30 and 50% of revenue decline, according to the report.
‘Unusual or aggressive’ rodent behavior reported with dine-in restaurants closed, CDC says
Health departments in densely populated areas are reporting an increase in “unusual or aggressive rodent behavior.”
In a memo sent out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health officials say that rodents, especially those in large cities, rely on food and waste generated by restaurants for food.
With restaurants closed or limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, food available to such rodents has decreased.
“Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food,” the CDC memo reads. “Environmental health and rodent control programs may see an increase in service requests related to rodents and reports of unusual or aggressive rodent behavior.”
Whitmer worried Trump’s Twitter 'attack’ could lead to less funding for Michigan
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a nationally televised interview said the attacks directed at her by President Donald Trump weigh heavily on her mind and that she feels like she has to censor herself when speaking about the president.
“Listen, the worst night’s sleep I’ve got in the last 10 weeks is when he has attacked me on Twitter,” Whitmer said in an interview taped last week that aired Monday night on “Axios” on HBO. “I don’t really care that it’s an attack on me, but I’m worried that it would feed into a decision not to help Michigan.”
Michigan couple stranded in Italy for 2 months were first in line to visit Pompeii ruins
A Michigan couple was first in line to visit Pompeii when the ancient ruins reopened following Italy’s coronavirus lockdown that stranded them in the country for more than two months.
Colleen and Marvin Hewson, of Clinton Township, arrived in Italy on March 5, Colleen Barry and Alessandra Tarantino report for the Associated Press. They finally entered the archaeological site on Tuesday, May 26. They are headed to Rome next before returning home.
The visit to the ruins of the Roman city destroyed in A.D. 79 by a volcanic eruption was meant to cap a trip celebrating Marvin Hewson’s 75th birthday and the couple’s 30th wedding anniversary, the report said.
Michigan blood center urgently seeking more donors
Versiti Blood Center of Michigan says the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and flooding in mid-Michigan has left it with a shortage of blood.
“Our blood supply is not meeting hospital demand. That is the situation we face today,” Versiti Blood Center of Michigan Area Vice President Dawn Kaiser said in a statement.
“Hospitals are resuming surgeries and trauma cases are increasing as stay-at-home orders are relaxed. We must be able to provide blood. Lives depend on it.”
National Guard helps test 500 people for coronavirus in Flint
More than 500 people in Flint were tested for COVID-19 through a special partnership that provided free testing at a local church.
People got tested at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday and Monday, May 24 and May 25. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, state Rep. Cynthia Neeley and the National Guard partnered with the city and the Michigan National Guard to provide testing. Forty people volunteered to oversee the operation.
“This is evidence of what is possible with partnership. We are so appreciative of our state and county partners coming together to provide this testing opportunity to our community,” Mayor Sheldon Neeley said. “Testing and teamwork are important tools we will continue to utilize to fight this deadly virus.”
Clark Lake Raft-O-Rama canceled because of coronavirus
Cardboard-covered rafts will not fill Clark Lake in August this year.
The 60th anniversary celebration of Raft-O-Rama, scheduled for Aug. 2, is canceled because of the novel coronavirus and all the uncertainty it’s causing, event co-chairman Joe Collins said.
“The absolute worst thing that could happen is we hold the event and somebody ends up getting sick out of it,” Collins said.
More Michigan coronavirus coverage, here
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.
Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.