Nation Reaches 200,000 Deaths; Whitmer Praises Michigan’s Efforts

After the United States passed 200,000 COVID-19 related deaths today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement to honor and mourn those who have lost their lives and their families:

“As we remember and honor all of those we have lost to this virus, we must not forget that each life was a person who had a story: plans, dreams, and more life to live. We owe it to our families, our neighbors, all of the brave frontline workers, and to our fellow Michiganders to continue taking this virus seriously and prevent more devastation in our communities. My heart is with the families of those whose lives were tragically cut short by COVID-19.

“Over the past six months, Michigan has worked hard to slow the spread of COVID-19. And Michigan is not alone. During this time, the whole country has been grappling with this emergency. At this moment, all 50 states and the federal government are in some sort of declared emergency. We have made tremendous progress as a state and as a nation, but we must stay the course. As we continue to face to the biggest health emergency of our lifetime, we may never know the number of lives that have been saved, but we do know that in doing our part by wearing a mask, remaining six feet apart, and staying home and stay safe, we have saved many lives.

“As we honor each of the more than 200,000 American lives lost to this virus, I hope it serves as a reminder to each and every one of us to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help save lives. I know this loss weighs heavily, but Michiganders are tough. We will get through this together.”

Whitmer sat down with Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive and MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health Dr. Joneigh Khaldun and her Chief Legal Counsel Mark Totten to discuss Michigan’s ongoing response to COVID-19 over the past six months. Both Totten and Dr. Khaldun have worked in tandem with the governor and many others to ensure Michigan’s swift response to the virus and to save lives. Since Michigan’s first case of COVID-19 in March, they have each worked around the clock to implement executive orders, directives and policies that protect the health and safety of Michigan families, frontline workers, educators, and small businesses.

“Michigan was hard hit by COVID-19 early in the pandemic, but because we took quick action and Michiganders did their part to slow the spread of the virus, we are in a much better position than many other states,” said Governor Whitmer. “No one wants to end this state of emergency more than I do, but we are not out of the woods yet. Michigan is not alone in this fight. At this moment, all 50 states and the federal government have some form of declared emergency. Progress is promising – we’re nearing a vaccine, with dozens being tested in humans already, including 9 in large-scale clinical trials. Michigan is making plans to distribute the vaccine, which could be as early as this fall. Michiganders are tough. We have gotten through these last six months together and we will work together and continue to show up and do the hard work we have to do to get out of this pandemic.”

“I know many Michiganders have done their part to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, and as a result Michigan is in a much better place than we were early on in the pandemic. But we cannot let our guard down yet,” said Chief Medical Executive and MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “We continue to learn more about this virus every day, and must all continue to do our part by wearing a mask, staying six feet apart, and washing our hands frequently. This virus spares no age group and can cause long term health consequences and death. Flu season is fast approaching and a spike in flu-related illnesses would be devastating to our health care system, economy, and overall COVID-19 response. As a parent and as a doctor I encourage all Michiganders to go and get vaccinated to protect themselves and their neighbors from the flu. I am proud to continue to work around the clock alongside Governor Whitmer, Mark Totten and the dedicated team at MDHHS to fight this virus.”

“When we first declared a state of emergency for Michigan it became clear that we would have to exercise extraordinary powers given to the governor by the legislature to protect the health and safety of millions of Michiganders from this once-in-a-lifetime, deadly threat,” said Chief Legal Counsel Mark Totten. “These orders, informed by the best science and data, have been the backbone of Michigan’s response to COVID-19 and have led to some of the lowest COVID-19 levels in the nation. Without these powers and the flexibility they give the governor to act, there is no question that thousands of more lives would have been lost.”

A study released by Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team showed that the aggressive actions Governor Whitmer took have significantly lowered the number of cases and deaths that would have occurred had the governor not acted.

Right now, Michigan is ranked as the number 12 recovery according to CNN’s “back-to-normal” index. The index measures each states economic activity as compared to its pre-pandemic level. Currently, Michigan’s economy is operating at 82% of where it was in March.

To view the governor’s executive orders click here. To follow all COVID-19 updates from the state of Michigan visit www.Michigan.gov/coronavirus.