Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday extended Michigan’s coronavirus emergency declaration until July 16, enabling her to keep intact restrictions and orders that remain after she lifted a stay-at-home policy.
The governor — who has been gradually reopening the state — hopes to let gyms, movie theaters and bowling alleys reopen by July 4. They currently are only operating in northern Michigan.
The state of emergency also is the underpinning for orders that make people eligible for unemployment an additional six weeks, pause evictions, and require masks and social distancing during the pandemic.
“Now is now the time to get complacent,” Whitmer said in a statement. “We must continue to stay vigilant and flexible in order to reduce the chance of a second wave.”
The Democratic governor said nearly every state in the country is maintaining state of emergency to cope with COVID-19.