On Tuesday, Northern Michigan’s News Leader was the first television station in the state to speak one-on-one with Governor Gretchen Whitmer just one day after she put Michigan under a stay at home executive order.
“This is not the time to panic,” she says, “but it is the time to be smart.”
Monday the state took the biggest step so far in the fight against COVID -19. Governor Whitmer ordering the end of all non-essential business and ordering people to stay in their homes as much as possible.
“It’ just to stay away from one another,” says Whitmer, “The virus can’t be transmitted from me to you if we’re not together.”
A task more complicated than it sounds in practice, many confused with the difference between a ‘stay at home’ and a ‘shelter in place.’
“With ‘shelter in place,’ the connotation is you can’t leave your house,” says Whitmer, “You can’t ever leave your house. That’s not what this is.”
Whitmer wants you to stay home but if you do leave, make it for a reason and keep your six feet of distance between others.
“You can leave your house for necessities,” says Whitmer, “You can leave your house to take that walk with your dog.”
There has been the debate over “essential” and “non-essential” when it comes to who is still working and who stays home. The executive order has firm guidelines and instructions but complaints have come in of companies slipping through loopholes.
“We have to use some common sense here and be really smart,” says Whitmer, “If everyone does their part, this is a matter of weeks. If people are determined to skirt the law then this will go on longer and our economy will suffer. More importantly, more people will die.”
With most everything closed for business downstate, Michiganders have been coming to their northern homes. They are trying to get away from the crowds but others worry they could be spreading the virus north.
“If you’re going somewhere and you’re going to stay put, that’s fine,” says Whitmer, “Stay put though. That’s the thing.”
Stay home, stay safe and save lives, Whitmer says it can be as simple as that.
“If everyone does their part will get through this faster,” says Whitmer, “and will have a lesser loss of life.”
We have the full details of the executive order outlining what businesses are deemed “essential” by clicking .
For a list of updated clarifications and FAQ’s on the Executive Order, .
Additionally, the Federal Government and Department of Homeland Security have provided an 11-page document of ““, which is supported by Michigan’s Governor.
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