Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced today the partial reopening of areas of the state, including the Upper Peninsula and much of northern Michigan beginning on Friday.
Under Ms. Whitmer’s order 2020-92, all of the U.P. and 17 counties in northern Michigan, including Traverse City, will be able to open – with restrictions – retail businesses, bars, restaurants and office work that cannot be done remotely.
Bars and restaurants will be able to open, but must be at 50 percent capacity, servers and bartenders will be required to wear masks and patrons must be sat six feet apart.
Ms. Whitmer also signed another order today requiring all businesses to adhere to strict safety guidelines to protect their workers, their patrons and their communities from infection.
Businesses opening must, among other things, provide training for workers that covers, at a minimum, workplace infection-control practices, the proper use of PPE, steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of any symptoms of COVID-19 or a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, and how to report unsafe working conditions.
Counties in northern lower Michigan covered under the reopening order are Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Crawford, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Presque Isle and Emmet.
All counties in the U.P. are covered: Gogebic, Ontonagon, Houghton, Keweenaw, Iron, Baraga, Dickinson, Marquette, Menominee, Delta, Alger, Schoolcraft, Luce, Mackinac, and Chippewa.
