By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A new state order has been issued allowing high schools, casinos, bowling alleys and theaters to re-open, although gatherings remain limited and indoor dining banned.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services updated its epidemic order Friday to allow indoor activities where Michiganders can remain masked. That includes in-person learning at high schools and indoor entertainment venues. Casinos, bowling centers and movie theatres will be allowed to re-open with total capacity capped at 100; food and drink concessions closed; and social distancing requirements in place. Universities and colleges can let students return to campus next month, with a request to wait until January 18th to restart face-to-face classes. Indoor sports and outdoor contact sports are barred under the order unless there is rigorous testing like there is at the pro and NCAA levels. The new order is effective on Monday and will last until Friday, January 15th.

At a press conference held Friday afternoon, it was stated that things are trending in the right direction but the state is still averaging around 100 deaths daily. That at was said to be concerning but the hope and expectation is that as cases go down, deaths will also go down. Governor Gretchen Whitmer said if progress can be substantially sustained, then they will seriously consider lifting protocols sooner but a lot depends on how the holidays go. It was noted that cases have been declining in all regions and the number of hospital beds with COVID-19 patients has also declined to 17.3%. It was stated that case numbers have been encouraging and people did what they were supposed to over the Thanksgiving holiday, and thus Michigan has avoided the surge many other states are currently experiencing.

According to a release from the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, many businesses won’t be closing for another month but will be closing permanently. The MLBA said those in their industry are feeling a number of different things after the announcement - some are angry, some are disappointed and some feel completely hopeless. MLBA Executive Director Scott Ellis said “With COVID-related numbers trending down, we thought it was time to give our bars and restaurants a break. We do not understand why the hospitality industry has been singled out, while trampoline parks and other entertainment facilities are allowed to open”. While Congress focuses on an expansive nationwide stimulus package, the MLBA said it’s urging leaders at the state level to prioritize the hospitality industry in its own relief package. Ellis said “We know that on the state level, the governor and legislature are working together to provide funding for our industry. I would hope that with the announcement of the extension, they choose to allocate additional funding”. Ellis added they need to come together to finalize these plans on Monday and “save this industry.”

Meanwhile, the Livingston County Health Department issued a COVID-19 update Friday saying it recognizes the efforts of community members to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the local community. It reported that while gradual, this is the first time in months that both the COVID-19 positivity rate and daily cases per million have declined in Livingston County. Officials say that has allowed for schools to remain open and limit a surge of hospitalized patients. Not every sector is showing improvement though - both local preschools and nursing homes are said to be having a rise in cases. A report says higher rates of quarantine among preschool children are affecting parents’ ability to work as they have to stay home to care for their children. It says unfortunately, the higher rates in nursing homes have led to increased hospitalizations as well as a rise in deaths in Livingston County.

The Health Department is expecting to begin the first phase of vaccination in the next few weeks, which will include healthcare workers. That will be followed by essential workers and community members considered most vulnerable. With the winter holiday season around the corner, the department said it is again asking community members to maintain their vigilance to safeguard the most vulnerable populations. The full report with local data is attached.