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Whitmer 'very concerned' about being able to safely send kids back to school in the fall

Whitmer 'very concerned' about being able to safely send kids back to school in the fall
Posted at 9:11 AM, Jul 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-09 09:11:55-04

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she's "very concerned" about being able to safely send kids back to school in the fall as cases of COVID-19 increase across the country and in Michigan.

Related: READ HERE: State releases 'MI Safe Schools Roadmap' for kids to return to school

Speaking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday night, Whitmer said the last thing she wants to see in Michigan is an outbreak that keeps kids from getting back to school.

"I’m very concerned. We’re eight weeks out and we know that the trends nationwide are not good," Whitmer said, adding that people need to mask up.

"Eight weeks will go by very quickly," she added. "If we don't get a handle on these fundamentals, it's going to be very risky to debate whether or not we send kids back into classrooms."

Related: What the 'MI Safe Schools Roadmap' says for school sports

On June 30, Whitmer unveiled the MI Safe Schools Roadmap plan for kids to return to school in the fall. It reported that schools would be able to have in-person instruction if their area was in phase 4, which all of the state is in as of July 9. The Traverse City and Upper Peninsula are in Phase 5.

The more than 60-page document outlines safety protocols for schools to implement in each phase of the MI Safe Start Plan.

Earlier this week, Whitmer said the state could also "dial back" reopening if cases continue to climb in Michigan. The state has seen more than 500 and 600 cases reported twice in the last week, the highest increase in new cases since May.