Masks Are Required In Michigan. Here's What To Know.

MICHIGAN — If you're a Michigander going into a public area, you'll likely be required to wear a mask beginning Monday.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday signed an executive order reiterating that people are required to wear a face covering whenever they are in an indoor public space or crowded outdoor spaces.

“The heroes on the front lines of this crisis have gone hours without taking their masks off every day – doctors, nurses, child care workers, grocery store workers. We owe it to them to wear our masks when we’re on a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Masks can reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19 by about 70 percent. By wearing masks, we can save lives and protect our family, friends, and neighbors from the spread of COVID-19. And by wearing masks now, we can put our state in a stronger position so our kids can return to school safely in the fall. For the sake of your loved ones, let’s all mask up, Michigan.”

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Whitmer said every region in Michigan has seen an uptick in new cases over the past week. Daily case counts now exceed 20 cases per million in the Grand Rapids, Detroit and Lansing regions, according to Whitmer's office.

Studies have shown that wearing a mask can save lives and significantly lover an individual’s chance of spreading the coronavirus, Whitmer said. A study on different regions in Germany suggested that the adoption of mandatory mask ordinances decreased the daily growth rate of coronavirus infections by 40 percent.

Below is a breakdown of some intricacies relating to the order, which you can read in its entirety here.

Enforcement

The order requires any business that is open to the public to refuse entry or service to people who refuse to wear a face covering, with some exceptions. Businesses must post signs at all entrances instructing customers of their legal obligation to wear a face covering while inside. That measure may be increasingly important as several Michigan law enforcement officials have come out saying they do not plan to enforce the order themselves.

In Western Michigan, Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott said his department would not investigate violations of Whitmer’s order. MLive reported that the sheriff said he believes Whitmer has overstepped her bounds with executive orders.

Similar issues have presented themselves previously, when businesses refused to close despite mandates from Whitmer to do so.

Punishment

A willful violation of Whitmer's order is a misdemeanor subject to a $500 criminal penalty, but no term of confinement may be imposed on individuals who violate the mask requirement, according to the governor's office. No one is subject to penalty under the order for removing a mask while engaging in religious worship at a house of religious worship, although consistent with guidance from the CDC, congregants are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings during religious services, Whitmer's office said.

There Are Some Exceptions

Those who are exempt from wearing a mask in Michigan businesses include people younger than 5 years old, those who cannot medically tolerate a face covering and those who are eating or drinking while seated at a food service establishment.

Michigan Isn't Alone

Similar requirements regarding the use of face coverings have been put in place in the states of Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Washington.