DETROIT (FOX 2) – Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced new guidelines for restaurants, nursing homes, gyms and recreational facilities on Tuesday, reversing a number of restrictions across the state.
Governor Whitmer eases COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, nursing homes and meetings
On Tuesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer relaxed the curfew of restaurants and bars from 1 pm to 11 pm and set a 50 percent occupancy mark for restaurants.
The most notable is the doubling of the restaurant’s capacity, allowing bars and snack bars to operate at 50% capacity, down from 25%.
Other changes include changing the restaurant’s curfew from 10 pm to 11 pm, allowing stores to increase capacity from 30% to 50%, allowing casinos to operate at 30% and increasing gym capacity to 30%. The new guidelines also allow entertainment venues, such as bowling and cinemas, to operate at 50% capacity, for up to 300 people.
The order goes into effect on March 5 and will last until April 19.
“Michigan is a national leader in the fight against COVID-19, and our fact-based and data-driven approach will help our state rebuild our economy and resume normal day-to-day activities,” Whitmer said in a press release.
Meeting restriction changes include allowing private indoor meetings in homes to have a maximum of 15 people from three different families. Private outdoor meetings can have up to 50 people.
Indoor meetings, not in private residences, can have up to 25 people, while outdoor meetings can be resumed with a maximum of 300 participants.
In addition, athletics stadiums and arenas with a capacity of 10,000 people or less will have 375 participants, while venues with a capacity of more than 10,000 can have 750 people.
Visits will also be allowed in nursing homes, once visitors have a negative COVID-19 test.
Casinos and gyms will also be able to operate at 30% capacity, however, exercise machines must be two meters away from each other.