Governor Whitmer is ordering that all restaurants and bars be closed to dine-in customers, effective at 3 p.m., to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The businesses can stay open for takeout and delivery. A Whitmer spokeswoman says more details will be released Monday. The state reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 Sunday, bringing the Michigan total to 53. Included in the new positive tests is the first child, a boy in Oakland County, and the first in Ottawa County west of Grand Rapids. There are still no confirmed cases in southwest Michigan.
The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association has released a statement on the closure. President & CEO Justin Winslow said: “We stand with the governor in her decision to limit restaurant operation to carry-out, drive-thru and delivery during these extraordinary times. It is incumbent upon all Michiganders to remain united to prevent a catastrophic overrun of our limited healthcare resources. We recognize the Governor’s decision is for the health and well-being of all Michigan citizens, however, the restaurant and lodging industries will be decimated in the coming weeks, severely impacting the 600,000 people they employ. To that end, we call on the governor to immediately submit the necessary paperwork to qualify Michigan for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and to work quickly to infuse more liquidity for small businesses struggling to make payroll and keep their doors open. We remain committed to working collaboratively with the governor and other elected leaders to safely navigate the immediate threat from COVID-19 and look forward to collectively working to rebuild Michigan’s hospitality industry.”
