It’s too early to tell if Michigan will have a state shutdown like has happened in Illinois, New York, and California. Governor Whitmer said Friday afternoon the situation is changing rapidly, but said right now, she’s not ready to take that step.
“I recognize that not having plans to do something right now doesn’t mean that at some point we might have to take more aggressive action,” said Whitmer late Friday afternoon. “We’re clearly listening and paying attention to what other states are doing.”
Whitmer said rumors about a shutdown are irresponsible and dangerous.
“if and when we are in a position where we think that’s a position where we think that it’s an important next move, I will absolutely communicate that personally to the public,” said the governor, adding, “we are not there.”
The governor was also asked about the possibility K-12 schools could be done for the year. Whitmer said we’re just one week into the three-week temporary closure and the plan remains to get students back into class. She also addressed the statement by the Michigan Department of Education that online learning during the shutdown won’t count toward this year’s learning requirements.
“I was dismayed to see that, frankly,” said Whitmer. “We are going to work to make sure that kids are getting the instruction or the equivalent of an instruction as needed so that they can finish this year having gotten the education they’re supposed to get.”
Michigan’s confirmed number of COVID-19 cases is 549 as of Friday.
