Coronavirus / Covid-19

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has extended Michigan's coronavirus emergency declaration until July 16, enabling her to keep intact restrictions and orders that remain after she lifted a stay-at-home policy. The governor - who has been gradually reopening the state - hopes to let gyms, movie theaters and bowling alleys reopen by July 4. They currently are only operating in northern Michigan. The state of emergency also is the underpinning for orders that make people eligible for unemployment an additional six weeks, pause evictions, and require masks and social distancing during the pandemic.

Michigan’s health department on Monday mandated coronavirus testing of all nursing home residents and staff after reporting the deaths of nearly 2,000 residents tied to the facilities — about a third of all COVID-19 deaths across the state.

Director Robert Gordon’s order requires initial universal testing. Also, all new or returning residents have to be tested, and there must be weekly testing of all residents and staff in a home with any cases until 14 days after the last positive result.

  African Americans are disproportionately likely to say a family member or close friend has died of COVID-19 or respiratory illness since March. Eleven percent of African Americans say they were close with someone who has died compared with 5% of Americans overall and 4% of white Americans. That's according to an analysis of three COVID Impact surveys conducted between April and June. The polls also show the racial gap is equally striking in some cities and states hit especially hard by the virus.

Michiganders with a stash of bottles and cans building up since mid-March can start taking them back today. Bottle returns are coming back in phases. Right now stores are limited in how many they can take back. Stores can also limit the number of machines they have open and periodically close bottle rooms for cleaning. Here is Frank Guglielmi, a spokesman for Meijer.