Once a COVID-19 hotspot, Michigan is now 'on track to contain' outbreak according to monitoring site
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COVID Act Now
Michigan, New York, and New Jersey have now been designated as "on track" to contain the coronavirus outbreak by COVID Act Now. The states were once the top three coronavirus hotspots in the U.S.
Michigan, give yourself a hand — or maybe we should give it up for "Big Gretch." According to coronavirus tracking site COVID Act Now, Michigan is one of only three states to be designated as "on track to contain" the outbreak.
When the coronavirus crisis first hit the U.S., Michigan quickly earned the dubious distinction of being one of the nation's top three hotspots for the virus, following New York and New Jersey. Officials blamed a slew of factors, including metro Detroit's international airport, the auto industry's ties to Asia, a primary election that saw a number of large rallies across the state, and racial disparities in health as some of the reasons why the virus took hold here.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer drew criticism for her expansive stay-at-home executive order, which shut down much of the state's economy, even in regions where the virus had not spread. But data analysis site Finder.com gave the state a No. 2 ranking when it came to its coronavirus response, which was swift and expansive.
The state reported its first coronavirus cases on March 10, though the virus had likely already been spreading undetected. Whitmer closed schools on March 13, and closed dine-in restaurant and bar services, and nonessential businesses shortly after. Michigan's first stay-at-home order was issued on March 24, and has been extended numerous times. Recently, Whitmer has begun to reopen sectors of the economy in phases.
COVID Act Now moved Michigan to "on track" on Tuesday. "Cases are steadily decreasing and Michigan’s COVID preparedness meets or exceeds international standards across our key metrics," the site wrote on Twitter. New York and New Jersey have also earned the designation.
Meanwhile, states that did not issue such measures or reopened their economies too soon, like Alabama, Arizona, and Georgia, are now designated with a warning of "active or imminent outbreak."
You can see how Michigan's "curve" compares to other states' over at the New York Times coronavirus tracker.
Keep up the good work, Michigan.
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