LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer strengthened her previous executive order requiring all Michiganders to wear a mask in indoor spaces and crowded outdoor spaces.
Friday’s new executive order says businesses may not assume an unmasked customer cannot medically tolerate a face covering and requires public safety officers to wear masks “unless doing so would seriously interfere in the performance of their responsibilities,” according to a news release.
Businesses may accept a customer’s verbal representation that they cannot medically tolerate a face covering.
The order also clarifies that masks do not need to be worn to polling places when visiting to vote in an election, though it is still encouraged.
Exceptions to Whitmer’s order include:
- Those who are younger than 5 years old
- Those who cannot medically tolerate a face covering
- Those who are eating or drinking while seated at a food service establishment
- Those who are exercising when wearing a face covering would interfere in the activity
- Those who are at a polling place for the purposes of voting in an election