Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she’s not about to announce new mask mandates in Michigan.
That’s despite new guidance from the CDC that people should mask up while indoors in areas that are COVID-19 hotspots.
Whitmer says she’s very concerned about how variants may develop, but she thinks there are better options right now than new state orders.
“The fact of the matter is we now know a lot more about this virus. We have vaccines. The best way to stay safe is to get vaccinated. We’re really strongly encouraging everyone to do just that,” she said.
By Russ McNamara I WDET
• 1 hour ago Gilchrist said the state is working on other messaging campaigns to get people, especially young Black men, to reconsider their stance on vaccinations.
Michigan’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is showing no signs of rapid improvement in the weeks since Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the MI Shot to Win Sweepstakes.
Speaking on WDET’s Detroit Today, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist said Thursday conservatives have hurt the vaccination effort by spreading misinformation.
About 92,000 people have gotten at least one inoculation since the July 1st sweepstakes announcement. The state is still about 7% short of its goal of vaccinating 70-percent of the population.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced appointments to the new Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, and among them is state Senator Kim LaSata. The task force was created with an executive order to focus on analyzing the state’s juvenile justice system while recommending practices and strategies for reform. The Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform will be chaired by Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist, and it will include members of the executive branch, the judiciary, the juvenile justice community, and the legislature. That’s where Senator LaSata comes in. Legislative branch participants on the task force include LaSata, as designated by the Senate Majority Leader. Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth T. Clement says the “task force will be successful because we are laser-focused on building partnerships, being creative, and analyzing the data to make sure that every Michigan child has the chance to achieve their full potential.” Appointees will serve for two-year