Michigan’s State Of Emergency Extended For At Least Another Month

Tuesday evening, Governor Whitmer extended the state of emergency that Michigan has been under since March 10th until October 27th at 11:59 pm, according to WZZM 13.

The state of emergency helps state offices mobilize resources to help keep Michigan safe during the continued pandemic which has still seen a high number of COVID-19 cases across the state, including the Upper Peninsula which has recently been warned that they could soon be taken out of Phase 5 and moved back to Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan because of the increase in positive cases.

WZZM 13 also says the state of emergency declaration allows the governor's office to issue executive orders that are meant to help fight the virus.

The state of emergency declaration which has been extended quite a few times since Governor Whitmer enacted it in March was set to expire on October 10th.  By extending it, she was also able to extend four executive orders that have been in place to help “vulnerable populations” according to WZZM 13.  The executive orders include “restrictions on healthcare, long-term care, and juvenile justice facilities, protections for prisons and jails, protections for grocery store workers, and allowing businesses to be conducted remotely through e-notaries," as WZZM 13 reports.

WZZM 13 also posted a statement from Governor Whitmer that she released in a press release about the state of emergency extension

“This emergency will end, and it is a matter of months. But we are not out of the woods yet. Right now, the federal government and all 50 states have been under some form of state of emergency. We must continue doing our part to fight this virus on behalf of our families, frontline workers, and our small businesses.”