A federal judge in Grand Rapids on Friday rejected a bid from the Michigan Restuarant and Lodging Association’s request for a tempory restraining order to stop the state-ordered shutdown of Michigan’s bars and restaurants.
Judge Patrick Maloney said in his statement that the suit against the Whitmer Administration was unlikely to succeed. He did schedule a November 30 hearing on the issue.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services ordered indoor dine-in service to end at restaurants as of Wednesday, for three weeks. Bars were also ordered to close for three weeks.
Statement from MDHHS Director Robert Gordon:
“We appreciate today’s ruling. Orders similar to this one have successfully stopped COVID surges in many other countries. That’s why public health experts support the approach, and we believe these targeted and temporary steps are needed to avoid overwhelmed hospitals and death counts like we saw in the spring. If all of us mask up and avoid indoor gatherings, we will not only save thousands of lives and protect our frontline health workers, but we’ll also be able to enjoy indoor restaurant dining without fear.”
Comments