MI Order Extends Special Shopping Hours For Vulnerable People

MICHIGAN — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a pair of executive orders Monday extending safety measures within long-term care facilities in the state and reserving shopping time for vulnerable populations.

Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-148 and Executive Order 2020-149, extending coronavirus adaptation in long-term care facilities to protect residents and staff, and extending existing safety measures, including 2 hours a week of reserved shopping time for vulnerable populations, to protect consumers and employees at grocery stores and pharmacies.

“The frontline workers across the state have been the heroes of this pandemic and we must do everything we can to protect both them and our most vulnerable Michiganders.” Whitmer said in a statement. “This virus is still widespread and poses a real danger to our families, and these extensions will be crucial in protecting both frontline workers, customers and our most vulnerable populations. I urge each and every one of us to do our part through physical distancing and masking up to help fight COVID-19.”

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Executive Order 2020-148 also protects residents from eviction and employees from discriminatory action for staying home when exhibiting symptoms, according to a news release. Under the order, a long-term care facility is required to take specific precautions when a resident exhibits symptoms of the coronavirus, including informing facility employees.

The order also requires nursing homes to use reasonable efforts to create dedicated units for residents affected by the coronavirus, according to a news release. To ensure these units provide a safe environment that can meet the medical needs of coronavirus-affected residents, the order states that nursing homes that create such units must provide adequate PPE to the direct care employees responsible for staffing the units and implement reliable and effective infection procedures, according to a news release. The governor’s order continues through August 10, 2020.

According to the governor's office, Michigan offered and prioritized nursing home testing beginning in April for every resident and has tested over 35,600 residents and staff in nursing homes.

Executive Order 2020-149, which continues through August 10, extends the following health and safety rules for grocery stores and pharmacies, among others:

• Grocery stores and pharmacies must allocate at least two hours per week of shopping time for vulnerable populations.
• If an employee tests positive for the coronavirus, the business must notify other employees without infringing on private health information.
• Grocery stores and pharmacies must offer accommodations to vulnerable employees, such as low-risk assignments or a leave of absence.