Michigan, the third most affected region in the United States after New Jersey has issued a ban on travel between residences effective from Friday. From now on, around 10 million residents of the state will not be able to visit friends or families with limited exceptions. Travel between two residents was permitted by the state until now.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has also extended "stay home" order from April 13 to May 1 that was passed on March 23. Michigan followed a growing number of states such as Illinois, Indiana and Ohio that have extended their original orders. The businesses of Michigan will be shut down for an additional three weeks followed by the order. "Michigan has the third highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, and we're still on the upswing," she said.
Residents are asked to stay at home as much as possible while only essential travel such as carrying friend, relative or pet to the hospital for treatment has been permitted by the governor. Attending funeral more than 10 people is also not allowed in Michigan.
Outdoor exercise is permitted if people follow the six-foot distance rule
Whitmer said at a news conference that public and private gathering of any size has been prohibited. People are allowed to leave their house for buying essential items or medicines from grocery stores, food markets or pharmacies. Outdoor exercise is still permitted as long as people maintain a safe distance of six feet from each other.
Order states that people will still be able to travel to residents outside the state but cannot come for vacations inside the state. Whitmer informed that state is going through public health as well as economic crises. "If we don't get the health crisis under control, the economic crisis will go on and on," she added.
Modelling done by the University of Michigan indicates that virus does not peak while people stay at home. This clearly shows that the "stay home" order is the most effective way to curb the spread of the virus. There have been 22,783 cases confirmed and the death toll reached up to 1,281 due to coronavirus in the state of Michigan. The total number of COVID-19 fatalities reported from around the nation has surpassed 18,700 as the number of infection cases has reached 503,177 so far.
