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Detroit businesses can get first supply of PPE ahead of reopening

DetroitMayorMikeDugganCoronavirusBriefing
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(WXYZ) — Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan gave another update to the city's response to coronavirus on Friday afternoon.

Duggan talked about how the city is helping businesses that are planning to reopen after Gov. Whitmer's Executive Order, and talked about an Everybody vs. COVID-19 and U.S. Census digital festival scheduled for later this month.

According to Duggan, retail businesses will be able to open up on Tuesday after Whitmer's order, and there are several steps that businesses can take to make sure they're ready to open.

There are six things businesses need to do to open, and things the city will be checking for. Those are:

1. Provide necessary PPE to employees
2. Signs requiring people to cover faces
3. Follow store occupancy restrictions
4. Physical distancing in and out of store
5. Install physical barriers at checkout
6. Have an appointment process

According to Duggan, business owners can go to DetroitMeansBusiness.org to register their business and the city will provide them the first distribution of PPE at Eastern Market. Business owners can select a time on the website.

The city will also have the 42 neighborhood police officers around the city to help business owners.

"If we do this right, in a couple of weeks, we'll be able to talk about reopening restaurants," Duggan said.

He said the city is also looking at places where the city can close streets or other areas so restaurants can open areas outside in the summer.

Councilmember Janee Ayers also said she was able to secure a donation for 100 touchless thermometers.

Duggan also announced a new festival that Eric Thomas from the city set up – an Everybody vs. COVID-19 and U.S. Census digital festival taking place on Facebook on May 29 and 30.

Detroit R&B singer Charity and rapper GmacCash joined the press conference to talk about the event.

Chief Health Officer Denise Fair then took over to talk about the number of cases and deaths from coronavirus in the state, and updated the strategy for testing seniors.

The goal is to test 8,000 seniors over the next five weeks and they are on target. So far they have tested 2,000 residents in 36 facilities.

The city is also finishing the second round of testing for nusing home residents.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

Read our daily Coronavirus Live Blog for the latest updates and news on coronavirus.

Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.

View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.

Find out how you can help metro Detroit restaurants struggling during the pandemic.

See all of our Helping Each Other stories.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.