By Jessica Mathews/News@whmi.com


Governor Gretchen Whitmer outlined some priorities for safely re-engaging Michigan’s economy, while also saying she will seek to extend the state's State of Emergency during a press conference Monday.

Whitmer said there are signs to feel cautiously optimistic and new cases of COVID-19 are slowly declining. She says they’ll continue to watch closely where there are potential upticks of cases across the state to avoid hotspots from forming. The Governor announced the “MI Safe Start Plan”, which she says will take into account various sectors of the economy, geographic and workplace risk, as well as public health abilities and workplace protocols to mitigate risk. Whitmer said the plan will be incremental and start with workplace types posing the least amount of risk. Whitmer said residential and commercial construction and additional outdoor enterprises will be some of the first to return to work, but that she is also evaluating a number of industrial sectors. Whitmer said if they move forward and things look ok, then they can expand activity to the next level but there is no hard and fast timeline. She said if they see a second wave coming, then they’ll step back when necessary. Whitmer said no one knows what the coming months will bring but stressed re-engagement needs to be cautious.

The Democratic governor also said she will ask the Republican-led Legislature to lengthen her emergency declaration by 28 days before it expires late Thursday. A lawmaker-approved extension, she said, would keep in place liability protections for health care workers and first responders amid the outbreak. She noted she generally does not need legislative approval to continue exercising her emergency powers, however. “It’s better for everyone if we work together to get this right," Whitmer adds that the Emergency Management Act is what provides health care workers and other first responders the necessary liability protections they need to do their jobs. GOP legislative leaders are less sure about extending the order and say they continue to work with the governor on a plan to move forward.

Businesses will be directed to adopt a new array of workplace safety practices recommended by industry and public health experts. Whitmer said she has asked business, healthcare and labor leaders as well as experts in industrial hygiene to help make recommendations as to which workplaces present the least risk of spreading COVID-19. The Governor said she’ll take into account relevant public health data in deciding when different workplaces go back to work, adding businesses will need to be a partner to protect workers and their families. She says that means carefully monitoring symptoms, instituting an array of social distancing techniques, strengthening sanitation and hygiene and providing recommend protective equipment like masks and face shields. It was noted an Economic Recovery Council is studying workplaces overseas that have continued operations during the pandemic and the state is learning a lot. The Council will provide input and advise the Governor on how to stage return to broader economic activity. Geography was said to be important as the state will be divided into different regions for monitoring.

Whitmer stressed they’ll continue to monitor public health and measure success every step of the way but must remain nimble enough to pull back when data shows it’s the prudent thing to do – such as if they see a spike in cases or are concerned about hospital capability meeting need. As they move through the process and gradually re-engage the economy, Whitmer said she’ll be guided by data – not artificial timelines. Whitmer added that re-engaging is complicated and she’ll have more in the coming days on a timeline.

Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun commented that people are beating this disease. As of Friday, she said more than 8,342 people have recovered – meaning they are alive 30 days after symptoms started. Despite the positive signs, Khaldun said they are still seeing many cases and deaths every day. She said she was also cautiously optimistic they’re heading in the right direction but need to continue to monitor trends and track data and look at incrementally opening up the economy as they move forward with public health response.