LANSING, MI (MPRN)-- There are no plans to bring back more COVID-19 restrictions in Michigan, says Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist. That’s despite Michigan’s COVID numbers taking a dark turn this week.
The US Centers for Disease Control says Michigan has the highest number of cases per capita in the US. There’s a surge in a new, highly contagious variant. There have been 16,141 known COVID-related deaths since the virus was first detected in Michigan a little more than a year ago.
Gilchrist has played a key role in Michigan’s COVID response. And he says the circumstances surrounding this surge than when COVID-19 was first detected in Michigan.
“Where we are right now is that we have more tools at our disposal,” he says. “We have much more rapid testing at our disposal that we’re deploying at a high rate because that is how we actually know where the virus is so we can respond accordingly. We also have these vaccines that work.”
Gilchrist said warming temperatures will also make it safer for people to gather outdoors, but cautioned masks and distancing are still necessary.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer this week doubled the daily goal for getting people vaccinated.