Easing restrictions as cases decline
Step forward: Restrictions loosened on restaurants, nursing homes
With COVID-19 numbers continuing an overall decline, effective on Friday Michigan will loosen restrictions in several areas including indoor dining and nursing home visitation.
“The continuing trend of decline in our case rates, our positivity rates and the ability of our hospitals to care for individuals when they need care, led us to looking at the orders we had in place and deciding we were in a position where we could loosen some of these restrictions a little further,’’ Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said at a Tuesday press conference.
Indoor dining capacity at res
taurants and bars will be boosted to 50% from 25% where it has been since Feb. 1. The 10 p.m. curfew will be extended an hour to 11 p.m.
Restaurants have been one of the hardest hit businesses since the pandemic started nearly one year ago.
Justin Winslow, CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association issued a statement: “We welcome the governor’s decision today to expand restaurant, banquet and meeting space occupancy and consider this change critically important, but the sixweek duration of this order is concerning and significantly too long to adapt to rapidly changing metrics around this virus.’’
With the new order, family members may visit loved ones in nursing homes after rapid antigen testing and as long as the facility has not had a positive COVID-19 case within 14 days.
“We know this virus has taken a disproportionate toll on our seniors, the isolation and the time apart has been taxing on everyone with loved ones in long-term care facilities,’’ Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said.
The MDHHS order, which is effective through April 19, also increases numbers for indoor nonresidential gatherings now allowing up to 25 people — allowing public meetings and small indoor gatherings to resume.
Outdoor non-residential gatherings are permitted up to 300 which will allow larger outdoor events to resume. Indoor entertainment venues are allowed to be at 50% capacity, up to 300 people.
“This will also enable more people to go back to work. I’m proud that we are able to take this positive step without compromising public health,’’ Whitmer said.
She said the re-engagement should allow Michiganders to enjoy life’s simplest pleasures that have been disrupted over the past year.
“I know how eager we all are to get back to enjoying our days with loved ones. We’re getting there Michigan, this is good news,’’ Whitmer said.
The governor repeatedly said that efforts to stay safe remain crucial including mask wearing, hand hygiene and social distancing.
“We are not past this virus yet but we do know a lot more than we did because we’ve been living with it and learning for the past year,’’ Whitmer said. “If we continue to follow science and data and making sure that remains our North Star on all decisions we make around re-engagement, we will be able to do more.’’
The new orders also include:
• Exercise facilities are allowed to be at 30% capacity with restrictions on distancing and mask requirements.
• Retail is allowed to be at 50% capacity.
• Casinos are allowed to be at 30% capacity.
• Indoor stadiums and arenas are allowed to have 375 if seating capacity is under 10,000; 750 if seating capacity is over 10,000.
• Outdoor entertainment and recreational facilities may host up to 1,000 patrons.