The Warren Sun

A new Michigan website that determines COVID-19 risk levels supposedly contains data that contradicts Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reopening plan.

The website classifies Michigan’s regions into one of six stages of recovery from the coronavirus, according to the Michigan Capitol Confidential.

Each of the eight regions have been labeled according to its current recovery phase, as specified by the state’s Safe Start Plan. At the time of the website’s launch, Whitmer said the data it collects will help Michigan leaders re-engage the economy and ward off another round of infections, according to the Michigan Capitol Confidential. 

It was then discovered the regions and counties accounted for were deemed higher risk as opposed to what the data revealed as of late last month.

The Upper Peninsula was an example of the inconsistent labeling. The northern and more elevated of Michigan’s two major landmasses, Upper Michigan was labeled “medium-risk” though it ranked as “low-risk” on the website.

The area around the state capital was assessed a “medium-high” risk rating, but its test results rate and new cases rate fell short of the “medium-high” ranking.

Four other regions bore similar results, yet the website’s data shows to validate the labels of two of the eight regions.

Michael Van Beek, director of research at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, told the Michigan Capitol Confidential the website’s lack of transparency rendered it unable to assist.

“Without further explanation, this newly touted website seems to confuse more than it clarifies,” he told the news agency.

The state’s departments of Health and Human Services and Labor and Economic Opportunity worked with the University of Michigan on the website.

Michigan had 57,397 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 5,491 deaths as of June 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.