New campaign aims to bring Michigan together to safely reopen and stay open

MICHIGAN (WPBN/WGTU) -- Michigan health officials have launched a new public education campaign in hopes to bring Michiganders together to safely reopen the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The "Spread Hope, Not COVID" campaign includes 50 of the state's leading health care, business, education, community, manufacturing, tourism, senior citizen, labor, faith-based and public safety organizations and is led by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

The campaign calls on all Michiganders to join together to “Spread Hope, Not COVID” by taking actions that will significantly reduce the spread of the virus including wearing masks, washing and sanitizing hands, practicing physical distancing, and more.

“This virus has devastated families across the state and had an unprecedented impact on our economy. We are not out of the woods yet, and we must all continue to step up and do our part to fight COVID-19,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said today. “Our ‘Spread Hope, Not COVID’ message is for all Michiganders to do everything in their power to reduce the spread of the virus and protect our families, frontline workers, educators, and small businesses.”

Whitmer said the campaign will communicate with residents through broadcast, outdoor, social and digital media, and the news media.

A survey of 2,047 Michigan residents found that 72% of them say they always wear a mask in public, with Black Michiganders significantly more likely to wear a mask than all other respondent groups, and women more likely than men to wear a mask.

“The virus has taken so much away from us, but every action that a united Michigan takes to contain the spread moves us closer to resuming normal, to moving our economy and lives forward,” Gov. Whitmer said. “While some of the actions we must take are personally uncomfortable and inconvenient, there is broad consensus that they will contain COVID-19 cases to levels that will enable us to safely reopen our economy, our schools and other institutions – and keep them open.”

The “Spread Hope, Not COVID” campaign includes facts about mask-wearing and details about the other simple behaviors Michiganders must take together to control the virus, including:

• Wear a cloth mask or face covering over your mouth and nose to reduce the spread of the disease. While masks alone may not always prevent the spread of the disease, scientists and doctors agree that masks and face coverings can help to reduce the spread by about 70%. Michiganders are required to wear a face-covering whenever you are in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces where you may be in close contact with people outside of your household, or people you do know but have not been with or near recently.
• Practice physical distancing by staying at least 6 feet from people outside of your household. COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact.
• Wash and sanitize your hands frequently. Don’t touch your face, nose, mouth and eyes with unwashed hands.
• Get tested. To avoid bringing COVID-19 home, it is especially important you get tested if: you feel sick, you have to leave home to go to work or if you have been in close contact with someone who is sick or has symptoms. Expanded testing is now available across the state as we continue to reopen. To get tested: Call the COVID Hotline at 888-535-6136 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and press 1 to be connected to an operator who can help you find a nearby location and schedule an appointment; or, Visit gov/CoronavirusTest to find testing locations near you and schedule an appointment.
• If you test positive, help prevent further spread by participating in case investigations and contact tracing with local or state health officials.

The campaign is funded through legislation approved by the U.S. Congress.