(WXYZ) — Updating the state on COVID-19, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sits down for a one-on one interview with 7 Action News.
Gov. Whitmer says she has a lot to share with the White House in terms of the challenges facing Michigan during this crisis. She’s also telling us what it will take to eventually reopen the economy.
Whitmer says a lot of important factors weigh into the decision on when to restart the economy in Michigan, which is currently shutdown through the end of April.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re safe to re-engage,” Whitmer said.
Among them, having sustained control of the rate of new infections and hospitalizations, enhancing ability to test and trace sufficient health care capacity to handle a resurgence and having best practices for social distancing at work.
“This has been a tough time," Whitmer said. "We don’t want to have to come back to this posture. We’ve got to be really smart.”
Whitmer says her conference call Thursday with the White House and other governors is also giving her the chance to talk specifics about our needs.
“Making sure they understand the strain on state budgets," the governor said. "Making sure we have as much flexibility as we can to balance budgets and meet needs if the people.”
The governor says regular talks with the VP of treasury secretary and others are helping. She's also posting to social media to express gratitude to California and New York for sending ventilators to Michigan on loan.
“Hopefully, in a couple weeks when we don’t need them because of a flattened curve and doing the right things, we can send our ventilators elsewhere hopefully,” Whitmer said.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
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