LANSING (WXYZ) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is easing restrictions in Michigan but keeping restaurants closed to dine-in service for at least another 19 days as the initial three-week pause hits day 75.
“We’re working on a path to allow indoor dining in restaurants with safety measures such as mask requirements, capacity limits, and a curfew starting on Feb. 1,” said Whitmer in the Wednesday briefing.
With mask use and social distancing, indoor exercise and non-contact sports are allowed to resume across the state.
“Just because we’re lifting some protocols now does not mean we should let our guard down for a second. Be smart and be safe,” the governor said.
Michigan is ramping up its pace of vaccinations, with shots in arms jumping from 12,000 per day to over 33,000 per day in the past week, with a goal of 50,000 per day.
“I want to be very clear, the state of Michigan is not sitting on doses of vaccine,” said Tricia Foster, Michigan’s Chief Operating Officer.
People 65 years and older are now eligible to receive inoculation in the state, though not enough appointments are available because of a lack of dose supply.
“It will take several months to complete at the current rate of vaccines that we are receiving in this state,” said Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun.
Whitmer announced a new partnership with Meijer, the first retail partnership with the state to help administer the vaccine.
People can register online at https://clinic.meijer.com or text COVID to 75049.
About COVID-19 vaccines: The vaccine will help protect you, your family, and others around you from getting COVID-19. Most COVID-19 vaccines will require you to get two doses about 3 or 4 weeks apart.
Whitmer expressed concern with the UK variant of COVID-19 arriving in Michigan when asked what could change between now and February 1st that would prevent restaurants from being allowed to reopen for dine-in service.
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