The 7 Governors of the midwestern states announced on Thursday that they would be partnering to reopen the economy. These states include Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky.
Together the Governors issued a News Release:
We are doing everything we can to protect the people of our states and slow the spread of COVID-19, and we are eager to work together to mitigate the economic crisis this virus has caused in our region. Here in the Midwest, we are bound by our commitment to our people and the community. We recognize that our economies are all reliant on each other, and we must work together to safely reopen them so hardworking people can get back to work and businesses can get back on their feet.
Today, we are announcing that Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky will work in close coordination to reopen our economies in a way that prioritizes our workers’ health. We look forward to working with experts and taking a fact-based, data-driven approach to reopening our economy in a way that protect families from the spread of COVID-19.
Our number one priority when analyzing when best to reopen our economy is the health and safety of our citizens. We will make decisions based on facts, science, and recommendations from experts in health care, business, labor, and education.
We will closely examine at least these four factors when determining when best to reopen our economy:
Sustained control of the rate of new infections and hospitalizations.
Enhanced ability to test and trace.
Sufficient health care capacity to handle resurgence.
And best practices for social distancing in the workplace.
Phasing in sectors of our economy will be most effective when we work together as a region. This doesn’t mean our economy will reopen all at once, or that every state will take the same steps at the same time. But close coordination will ensure we get this right. Over time, people will go back to work, restaurants will reopen, and things will go back to normal. We look forward to working together as one region to tackle this challenge together.”
President Trump also announcing that the economy will re-open in 3 phases…
Phase 1 would include:
Schools: Schools currently closed should remain closed
Business: Those who can telecommute should continue to do so; companies to reopen in phases
Senior care facilities and hospitals: Continue to ban visitors
Travel: All non-essential travel should remain at a minimum
Restaurants, bars and nightclubs: Can reopen under “strict” physical distancing guidelines
Gyms: Can reopen under “strict” physical distancing guidelines
Elective surgeries: Can resume on an outpatient basis
Source: https://www.wxyz.com/