Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer updates on COVID-19 Monday afternoon as manufacturing restarts

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer gave an update on the state's response to COVID-19 on Monday, the same day that manufacturing, including auto suppliers, are starting to return to work.

The governor has spoken regularly on Monday afternoons and will discuss the state's response on the same day that manufacturing work starts to resume.

State officials working to ramp up COVID-19 testing in Michigan

Gov. Whitmer says her goal is to test about 30,000 people a day for the coronavirus, and to have 450,000 people tested in the month of May.

During her Monday press conference, Gov. Whitmer stressed that Michigan is leading the nation in testing but we need to test even more. Currently, Michigan is testing about 14,000 people every day but the Governor wants to raise that to 30,000 with a goal of having 450,000 people tested for the entire month of May.

She also seemed to indicate that the Stay Home order will be in place for much longer than the current date of May 28th.

"Until we have a vaccine or we can do more to keep people safe, we're safer at home," Gov. Whitmer said.

She said widespread testing, contact tracing, and safety protocols are essential to allowing us to resume more 'normal' operations.

On Sunday, the state says reported only 25 deaths from the virus, the lowest report since March 29th. However, that follows a trend of low deaths reported on Sunday. On May 3, 29 deaths were reported and on April 26, 41 deaths were reported.

Gov. Whitmer said last Thursday the state is continuing to flatten the curve and, because of several positive signs from Michigan numbers, manufacturing jobs can start to resume work on Monday, May 11th. Additionally, she said the Stay Home, Stay Safe order was extended until May 28th, the fourth time she extended the stay-at-home order. The new order will extend until May 28 but will allow employees in manufacturing to return to the job.

Why social distancing can save lives amid COVID-19 pandemic

Social distancing is not only about preventing the illness itself, but rather, slowing the rate at which people get sick. 

During her press conference, Whitmer unveiled a six-phase approach to return to 'normal' that residents of the state will need to follow as we continue to fight the virus.

The phases of the pandemic include:

UNCONTROLLED GROWTH: The increasing number of new cases every day, overwhelming our health systems.
PERSISTENT SPREAD: We continue to see high case levels with concern about health system capacity.
FLATTENING: The epidemic is no longer increasing and the health-system's capacity is sufficient for current needs.
IMPROVING: Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are clearly declining.
CONTAINING: Continued case and death rate improvements, with outbreaks quickly contained.
POST-PANDEMIC: Community spread not expected to return.

Currently, Michigan is in the flattening phase and if we continue to maintain social distancing, we will move into the improving phase soon.