The Warren Sun

Many people have praised the Michigan government over its restrictions and perceived progress when it comes to slowing the spread of COVID-19.

However, it turns out that the praise may actually be unearned, as Michigan is starting to pull even in daily cases with Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Indiana, according to Michigan Capitol Confidential.

Gongwer News Services published the following: “Overall, Ms. (Gretchen) Whitmer said it is clear the orders that shuttered or limited certain industries with an eye on places where indoor gathering is most common are working. While states like Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Illinois are seeing continued sharp increases, the number of new cases in Michigan continues to fall."

"We all get credit for that because it doesn't happen with one person, it happens when the majority does it," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told Gongwer. "Every expert we consulted with about a month ago said we are going to see a Thanksgiving bump, and sure enough, as a nation, we have. We didn’t see that in Michigan because people did the right thing. It’s pretty incredible when you compare us to Ohio, Indiana and Illinois -- these are all neighboring states -- Wisconsin, who had a very different experience.’”

But, as it turns out, Michigan is now struggling once again with COVID-19 cases, despite handing down restrictions that are some of the strictest in the country. Other states that are closing down businesses, such as California, are also experiencing vast upticks in cases. 

While Michigan has been seeing over 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 on a daily basis, other states are reporting similar numbers, all without imposing restrictions that are damaging to small businesses and the economy throughout the state. This would contradict what Whitmer's administration would like residents to believe, which is that the state is a leader in the region. Unfortunately, that is no longer true. 

As Michiganders grow impatient, Whitmer has shown no signs of relenting on the restrictions, and she appears to have every intention of continuing them well into the New Year.