LANSING, MICH. The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) today issued an emergency alert to advise Michigan residents of the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, directing all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in certain outdoor activities, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.
“Protecting the health and safety of Michigan residents and mitigating the spread of COVID-19 is an urgent priority,” said Major Emmitt McGowan, deputy state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and commander of the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division. “This is an unprecedented crisis and we must use all resources available, including emergency alerts, to keep residents informed.”
The alert was issued at 8:17 p.m. Monday through the Integrated Public Alert Warning System (IPAWS). The IPAWS is designed to improve communication efforts between emergency management officials and the public by utilizing satellite television, cable television, electronic billboards, and the Internet. In addition, IPAWS issues the alert through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).
Effective at 12:01 am on March 24, 2020, for at least the next three weeks, individuals may only leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household to the extent feasible under the circumstances.
Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
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