Gov. Whitmer Discusses Thanksgiving, Possible Next Steps as COVID Cases Increase in Michigan [VIDEO]
At a news conference on Tuesday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer says the state is investigating the next steps it may have to take as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Michigan. This begins at about the 33:00 mark in the video below.
"I am having ongoing regular conversations with the [Michigan] Department of Health and Human Services," Whitmer stated during the question and answer portion of the press conference. "But as we get ready for the holidays, every one of us is going to have to have a plan and think long and hard about how we keep our families safe."
Although the governor declined to indicate that another mandatory lockdown could be possible, she acknowledged that the number of cases of COVID-19 cases and the number of hospitalizations in Michigan are worse now than they were during the onset of the pandemic.
"Our cases have been increasing exponentially, we have over 6,400 reported today and that includes 84 deaths," the governor said. "As scary as the spring was, these numbers are worse than what we were seeing in the spring. We are seeing our hospitals starting to fill up.
Whitmer went on to say that the holidays pose a serious threat to Michiganders, noting that her family will not be hosting a family gathering on Thanksgiving but rather connecting on Zoom as they watch the Lions.
"I hope people who are listening will try to creatively think about how to stay together," Whitmer said. "I think it's important to reiterate, if there's more than one household in an enclosed space, without ventilation -- meaning windows open -- for any period of time, it's just inherently dangerous. If it's more than two households, the danger increases exponentially."
Whitmer encouraged Michiganders to follow her lead as they make plans for the holidays this year.