A week ago, several business executives warned President Donald Trump before he could reopen the country, the federal government would need to "dramatically increase" the availability of COVID-19 testing. One of the biggest impediments to understanding the breadth of the pandemic's spread, most states have been playing catchup with offering enough testing to their residents.
After echoing the same sentiments, Michigan's testing capacity has dramatically increased in both the state and some of its biggest cities. On Monday, Whitmer announced all essential workers, even those without symptoms could now get a test. During a press conference, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said it was offering testing without prescriptions or symptoms to residents. Both Macomb County and Oakland County have joined the motor city in offering drive-thru testing. In a new announcement Tuesday morning, CVS Health was partnering with the state to offer rapid testing in Dearborn.
At the same time, the state's daily testing capacity was lagging in March, the number of new cases of COVID-19 began to climb fast, peaking in early April when almost 2,000 new cases were confirmed in one day. As the number of daily screenings has increased, the percentage of those tests showing up positive has lowered. At the same time, the number of new daily totals has trended downward. On Monday, the state reported its lowest count in three weeks.
Along with social distancing efforts, the city of Detroit, in particular, received praise for its efforts over the weekend when the head of the White House COVID-19 task force commended the city.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Detroit offering testing regardless of prescription or symptoms
The city is offering testing for essential workers without a prescription or symptoms.
With the formal end of Whitmer's stay-at-home order scheduled for May 1, it's unclear which industries will be the first to reengage and how those industries will begin operating when that time comes. With any luck, the lawn care and gardening industry hope to be among the first. In a letter sent to the governor on Monday, the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council organization outlined how it was building up safety measures in its stores.
"We feel it is our responsibility to operate in a safe way upon reopening and that is why garden centers have taken carefully targeted steps to ensure safe operations, including changes to how we do business," said Dave Mast, president of the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council.
The stores will offer online shopping, call-ahead orders, curbside pickup or delivery. The number of customers inside and near cash registers will be limited. All carts, baskets, door handles, credit card pads, and surfaces will be sanitized frequently. While some stores have deployed plexiglass enclosures, others have laid out spacing labels on the floor.
Many of these steps have already been taken by grocery and department stores that have been deemed essential. It's likely as the state begins to reopen, many other businesses will need to take similar steps as the public is encouraged to be safe as they begin purchasing.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Lawn and garden industry hoping to be among the first to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic
With state's shelter in place order coming to an end in the next 10 days, the Michigan Green house Growers and Garden Centers is preparing with every safety precaution and measure to ensure their workers and customers are protected.
"When we do start to phase in sectors of our economy, we will work around the clock to make sure that workplaces are taking steps to protect workers and their families and their customers," said Whitmer on Monday.
Compared to Whitmer's blanket ban on specific businesses across the state, the GOP legislature has drafted up plans for regionalizing statewide restrictions to counties, depending on the level of risk present. Southeast Michigan counties would fall under the highest level of risk.
Another sector of work that has seen a need to adapt is Michigan's mortuary businesses. Under pressure from the climbing number of deaths linked to COVID-19, medical examiners are getting some support from the Michigan Mortuary Response Team, or MI-Mort. Beginning back in February, the funeral director at a Dearborn and Taylor mortuary started drafting a potential response.
"While we prepare, we plan, we train, we exercise. We all hope by the grace of God we are never actually needed," said Timothy Schramm.
After waging a war against the pandemic for 40 days, almost 2,500 people have died. The burden of speeding up the delivery of those bodies back to their families has been made easier by Schramm's team.
Daily Forecast
Say bye to Spring and hello Winter again. Windy and cold conditions with some flurries are expected Tuesday. Rain will come Wednesday
This browser does not support the Video element.
Taking a turn to winter on your Tuesday with slow improvement midweek.
Windy and cold today with a passing flurry. Showers will be around on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump announces executive order to temporarily suspend immigration
Late Monday night, the president tweeted he would be signing an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration into the country. While not suspended yet, immigration in Canada and Mexico has been slowed down dramatically due to travel restrictions at the border.
So far, almost 800,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the U.S.