Monthly Archives: August 2020

(August 4, 2020 3:29 PM) Governor Whitmer signed Executive Directive 2020-08 today to direct state departments and autonomous agency heads to review allocation of their resources to ensure that enforcement of COVID-19-related laws is a priority, such as limitations on capacity and the requirement to wear a mask when entering a Michigan business. Cases have risen over the past month—from a rolling seven-day average of about 15 cases per million on in mid-June, the low point since the peak last April, to about 50 cases per million in late July.  Without effective enforcement, Michigan will move backwards, causing individuals, businesses, and the economy to suffer. The governor’s directive therefore requires state departments and agencies to ensure that enforcement of COVID-19-related laws receives the priority that fighting a pandemic demands. Under the directive, directors and agency heads should assign elevated priority to enforcement of COVID-19-related laws in categories of establishments where transmission is well-documented, including but not limited to nursing homes, meat processing plants, and agricultural housing.  “Ensuring these executive orders are enforced across the state will protect Michigan families, small businesses, and the first responders on the front lines of this crisis,” said Governor Whitmer. “This fight is not over yet. During the month of July we saw an increase in positive COVID-19 cases in every region of the state. By allocating the appropriate and needed resources, we can continue to save…

(August 4, 2020 3:11 PM) Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker,  Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a major bipartisan interstate compact with the Rockefeller Foundation to expand the use of rapid point-of-care antigen tests to slow the spread of COVID-19 and continue safely reopening the states. As the nation continues to face severe testing shortages and delays, this is the first interstate testing compact of its kind among governors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Hogan, in his final days as chair of the National Governors Association, negotiated the compact with the Rockefeller Foundation. The initial agreement includes six governors—three Republicans and three Democrats—and additional states, cities, and local governments may join the compact in the coming days and weeks. By banding together, the states are demonstrating to private manufacturers that there is significant demand to scale up the production of these tests, which deliver results in 15-20 minutes. With today’s agreement, the states are in discussions with Becton Dickinson and Quidel—the U.S. manufacturers of antigen tests that have already been authorized by the FDA—to purchase 500,000 tests per state, for a total of three…