LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer detailed today the six phases of the MI Safe Start plan to "re-engage Michigan’s economy."
Whitmer worked to develop the plan with a range of leaders: in health care, business, labor and education, according to the governor's office this afternoon.
Michigan is in phase three of the plan, which was formally announced on April 27.
Also today, Whitmer extended the state's stay-at-home order through May 28.
6 phases of the MI Safe Start plan
1. Uncontrolled growth: Increasing number of new cases every day, overwhelming health systems.
2. Persistent spread: Seeing high case levels with concern about health care system capacity.
3. Flattening (current phase): The epidemic is no longer increasing, and the health care system's capacity is sufficient for current needs.
4. Improving: Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are clearly declining.
5. Containing: Continued case and death rate improvements, with outbreaks quickly contained.
6. Post-pandemic: Community spread not expected to return.
“I am working closely with health care experts and epidemiologists to closely monitor Michigan’s progress in the fight against COVID-19,” Whitmer said.
“All of us know the importance of getting people back to work and the economy moving again. We’ve already re-opened lower-risk sectors, like construction, manufacturing and lawn care.
“The worst thing we can do is open up in a way that causes a second wave of infections and death, puts health care workers at further risk and wipes out all the progress we've made.
"That's why we will continue to monitor the spread of this virus, hospital capacity, testing rates and more as we work toward reaching the ‘improving’ phase.”