Michigan Gov. Whitmer holds COVID-19 news conference

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer held a news conference Wednesday afternoon to address the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW: Michigan Gov. Whitmer mulls short-term stay-home extension, but reopen plan in works

Whitmer again was joined by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun.

Moreover, today Dr. Marisa Eisenberg from the University of Michigan Department of Epidemiology joined the governor’s news conference.

Rewatch it here:

Whitmer’s last news conference was on Monday when she urged residents to continue to follow the state’s stay-home order. She said the state is seeing a slowing of COVID-19 inpatients in hospitals, but data shows more than 4,600 hospitalized in the state. She also said testing is picking up, while positive tests are not increasing in line with testing, and reported that hospitals are seeing increases in inventory for important PPE.

The governor said she is continuing to work with experts from various fields on a plan to begin reopening business and looking for ways to increase safety in workplaces. She said she is still hoping to start this plan on May 1, but said it’s still too early to be sure.

“What happens depends on how the next 10 days go,” Whitmer said, telling residents to stay home to continue mitigating spread. “For those of you who want to get back to work, stay home."

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