Monroe Review

A recent emergency order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Service (MDHHS) tightens COVID-19 restrictions in several areas, including schools and businesses.

The order took effect Nov. 18 and will expire on Tuesday, Dec. 8, well after Thanksgiving. Under the order, indoor dining at restaurants is banned, in-person instruction at high schools and universities stops, and high school sports cease for the time being, according to Michigan.gov.

Sen. Dale Zorn (R-Ida) censured the governor for eschewing input from the Legislature and implementing mandates on her own, without providing data to support their efficacy.

Sen. Dale Zorn | #MiSenateGOP

“The health of Michigan families is our absolute top priority,” said Zorn on SenatorDaleZorn.com. “Like much of the nation, Michigan is experiencing a fall surge in COVID-19 cases. A crisis like this requires teamwork, but unfortunately Gov. (Gretchen) Whitmer is once again going it alone. Apparently, while we were talking with health care leaders and the governor’s administration about the best way to combat the latest virus surge, the governor was preparing to go it alone again and issue these new restrictions with no input from the people’s representatives.”

Michigan restaurants may continue to serve takeout and offer outdoor dining, but in the colder months, outdoor dining becomes a less attractive option and many small, family-owned establishments lack the infrastructure to make the most of to-go dining.

“Gov. Whitmer is once again shutting down small, family-owned businesses that provide thousands of jobs -- many of which may now be lost,” said Zorn on his website. “Some businesses may never reopen their doors again after this latest shutdown. If there is data that shows these businesses are the cause of this most recent surge, then the governor owes it to everyone to share that information with the people of Michigan.”

While high school sports are canceled for the time being, collegiate and professional sports may continue under the governor’s directive. Zorn took issue with the apparent lack of consistency and data to back up the decision.

“I am especially disappointed for high school student athletes who have worked so hard to meet the governor’s health policy, just to have the rug pulled out from under them,” Zorn said, according to his website. “It’s another disappointment for students, families and the communities who have been playing sports with the proper safety protocols in place. If there is data that suggests sports is a spreader of the virus, then the governor should provide it. Evidently, collegiate and professional sports are not a spreader because they can continue playing.”

The governor and MDHHS’s restrictions did not provide a goal or case metrics to show what must happen for the shutdown to end, which has left some concerned the three-week period could be extended indefinitely, reports Bridge Michigan.

“I call on the governor to stop blaming others and circumventing the spirit of the Michigan Supreme Court ruling that encouraged her to work with the Legislature,” Zorn said on his website. “I urge her to start communicating with her legislative partners before this state is in real ruin, and I remain ready to get to work together with her on this critical issue.”