Michigan is temporarily shutting down bars, restaurants - and the majority of public places - across the state in an effort to slow the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
The executive order issued by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to shutter dine-in service goes into effect 3 p.m. on Monday, March 16.
“My thoughts today are with the workers and businesses in our food and hospitality industries. It is heartbreaking that an industry built on service to others must be shut down to help protect and keep safe the families they call their customers and friends," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel in a press release issued Monday. "In an effort to help them through this difficult and unexpected shutdown, I am asking our partners in the state and federal legislature to look for ways to help alleviate the financial impact of this shutdown."
"The Governor’s order was necessary and appropriate in light of the extraordinary circumstances in which we find ourselves and we will be working with our state, county and local law enforcement partners to enforce the order. I am proud of the tens of thousands of businesses and hundreds of thousands of workers who recognize the gravity of this situation and are responding quickly and without hesitation. We owe them our gratitude and support.”
According to Executive Order 2020-9, the following establishments have been ordered to shut down temporarily across the state of Michigan:
- Restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, and other places of public accommodation offering food or beverage for on-premises consumption
- Bars, taverns, brewpubs, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms, special licensees, clubs, and other places of public accommodation offering alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption
- Hookah bars, cigar bars, and vaping lounges offering their products for on-premises consumption
- Theatres, cinemas, and indoor and outdoor performance venues
- Libraries and museums
- Gymnasiums, fitness centers, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities, exercise studios and spas
- Casinos licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, racetracks licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, and Millionaire Parties licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board
- Places of public amusement not otherwise listed above
On Sunday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced 20 new, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, bringing the total number of people testing positive for the virus up to 53 as of Monday afternoon.
