Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Prohibits Private Gatherings of People ‘Outside a Single Household’

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) is issuing a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order and prohibiting “all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons outside a single household,” which will take effect at midnight, she announced on Monday.

Whitmer emphasized that residents will still be able to go to the grocery store, pharmacy, bank, and gas station, as all of those places will remain open. “Workers that are necessary to sustain or protect life include those in health care and public health, law enforcement and public safety, grocery store workers, and more,” the announcement explains.

However, Whitmer stresses that individuals “may only leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so.” That includes keeping a six-foot distance from others “to the extent feasible under the circumstances.”

The order also limits “all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons outside a single household.” Those are, per the order, “temporarily prohibited”:

Additionally, under Executive Order 2020-21, all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons outside a single household are temporarily prohibited. People may leave the house to perform for limited, necessary purposes, and may engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside a person’s household and with other restrictions imposed by prior executive orders.

The order will last “for at least the next three weeks,” according to the announcement.

“In just 13 days, we’ve gone from 0 to over 1,000 COVID-19 cases,” Whitmer said in a statement. “This is an unprecedented crisis that requires all of us working together to protect our families and our communities.”

“The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home. I know this will be hard, but it will be temporary,” she said. “If we all come together, get serious, and do our part by staying home, we can stay safe and save lives.”

Leaders in Ohio, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin are implementing similar stay-at-home orders.