LANSING, MI (WTHC-AM/FM) – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a relaxation in mask rules for COVID-19, so the state rules are consistent with federal rules announced earlier this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
A CDC statement indicated “fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.”
The new order goes into effect at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, May 15, 2021. Under these guidelines, Michigan residents who are outdoors will no longer need to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status. Among people indoors, those who are fully vaccinated will no longer need to wear a mask, while those who are not vaccinated, or have not completed their vaccinations, are required to wear a mask or face covering. This rule remains in effect until July 1, 2021.
Whitmer’s announcement comes after a review by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“For more than a year, we’ve been following the best data and science to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives,” Whitmer said, in a statement emailed to media Friday, May 14, 2021 “The vast majority of us have trusted the scientists and experts to keep us safe during the pandemic, and it has worked. With millions of Michiganders fully vaccinated, we can now safely and confidently take the next step to get back to normal. The message is clear: vaccines work to protect you and your loved ones. If you have not yet received your vaccine, now is the time to sign up. This pandemic has been one of the toughest challenges of our lifetimes, but we came together as a state to persevere. We have all been working incredibly hard toward getting back to some sense of normalcy, and today’s news makes all of that work worthwhile.”
The state’s chief medical officer, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, urged eligible Michigan residents who have not yet been vaccinated to schedule appointments “as soon as they can. Getting shots in arms is the best way to end the pandemic. If you have not yet been vaccinated, it is important to continue to mask up to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.”
MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel added that the vaccines available are safe and effective, and “allows us to take a big step in returning to normal.”
Under the updated MDHHS Gatherings and Mask Order,
Today’s news was welcomed with bipartisan support:
“The new guidance from the CDC and the state’s loosening of the mask mandate in a safe way is very welcome to our communities – we are excited to get back to normal,” Sault Ste Marie Mayor Don Gerrie, a Republican, said. “We appreciate the partnership efforts throughout our state and in our local communities in following the COVID-safe guidelines and making sure vaccinations are readily accessible to residents in a fast and efficient manner. I am thankful every day for the amazing health care and public safety professionals we have in Michigan.”
As of Friday, 7,875,785 vaccines had been administered in Michigan, according to state officials. CDC data indicates just over 55 percent of Michigan residents ages 16 and older have had at least one vaccine dose, with more than 43 percent of Michiganders ages 16 and older being fully vaccinated. State records indicate 927 Michiganders between the ages of 12 to 15 years old have also been vaccinated.
