Coronavirus / Covid-19

More than 80% of Michigan school districts planned to offer some form of in-person instruction in February, a 20-plus point rise over the previous month amid a decline in the coronavirus’ spread.

Michigan State University’s Education Policy Innovation Colloborative said it was the largely monthly increase since the start of the academic year. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has strongly encouraged schools to provide a face-to-face option by March 1.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said again Wednesday the Legislature’s Republican leaders are failing to bargain on a COVID-19 plan for Michigan. The governor said so during an online news conference.

At issue on the deadlock is how to spend $5 billion in federal COVID response funds, back-to-school plans, restrictions on businesses, and GOP calls for new limits on executive authority to issue emergency health orders.

Michigan restaurants on Wednesday proposed tying indoor capacity limits to the percentage of COVID-19 tests that come back positive, contending that clear guideposts would help the hospitality industry navigate the pandemic.

Bars and restaurants, which reopened for indoor dining and drinking on Feb 1. after a 2 1/2-month ban, have a 10 p.m. curfew and are limited to 25% occupancy, up to a maximum of 100 patrons, under a state health order supported by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. She has opposed linking coronavirus metrics to the automatic loosening or tightening of restrictions.

An activist group is calling on Michigan Republicans to hurry up and pass a COVID-19 relief bill. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced her plan last month, but the GOP-led legislature has not yet brought it up for debate.

Doctor Farhan Bhatti is with the left-leaning Committee to Protect Medicare. He says acting quickly will help people.

A judge dismissed disorderly conduct charges Monday against six hair stylists who were ticketed last spring during a protest at the Michigan Capitol.

The women were cutting hair to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to keep barber shops and salons closed for nearly three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The women argued that the tickets had to be dismissed after the state Supreme Court in October said many Whitmer orders were issued under an unconstitutional law.

High schools are anticipating a shortage of men and women who blow the whistle as basketball returns to Michigan gyms after a timeout for the coronavirus.

Registration of referees is down 25% from a year ago, and the risk of COVID-19 is a “contributing factor,” said Geoff Kimmerly, a spokesman at the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

State health officials said Friday that Michigan has capacity to vaccinate up to 80,000 people a day but the supply of COVID-19 doses, while higher in recent weeks, remains limited.

They also said their goal is to ensure no one has to travel more than 20 minutes to a vaccination site in the pandemic, and that a priority is to allocate additional doses to areas based on factors such as poverty, lack of transportation and crowded housing.

Michigan’s health department lifted a monthslong ban on contact sports that was ordered to help curb rising coronavirus cases, starting Monday, as long as masks are worn.

Thursday’s announcement from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer came a week after she had expressed optimism about a restart — amid growing pressure from parents, athletes, school administrators and Republican lawmakers. If face coverings cannot be worn, athletes must be regularly tested for COVID-19 under the revised order.