KHALDUN

Outdoor stadiums with protocols in place can allow up to 20% capacity and high school athletes will be subject to stricter testing, Gov. Capacity is increased to 20% for outdoor stadiums with publicly-available infection control plans in place. Whitmer said at this point she was not announcing further restrictions on high school sports beyond the increased testing requirements. Read more about the high school athletics testing protocols here. More on MLive:Michigan reports 2,629 new coronavirus cases, 25 deaths Thursday, March 18COVID-19 exposure ends one West Michigan team’s season, leaves another uncertainPositive COVID-19 test halts Michigan prep basketball game 36 seconds into first quarter

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan House Oversight Committee will hear testimony Thursday about the state’s ban on high school sports due to the coronavirus pandemic. Committee members including Chairman Steve Johnson (R-Wayland), Michigan High School Athletic Association Director Mark Uyl, Let Them Play Michigan Director Jayme McElvany, Olivet High School Athletic Director Matt Seidl, and concerned parents and athletes are expected to testify during the session Thursday morning. “Families throughout the state have reached out to their elected legislators about the governor’s abrupt decision to extend the ban on certain high school winter sports,” reads a statement from the House committee. “The House Oversight Committee will listen to testimony in an effort to provide answers to concerned residents regarding the extension.”AdLate last week, Gov. Michigan House Republicans on Wednesday proposed a $3.5 billion coronavirus recovery plan but threatened to withhold billions to K-12 schools unless Whitmer cedes her administration’s power to prohibit in-person instruction and sports to local health departments.

Gretchen Whitmer was asked Monday about the ban on certain Michigan high school contact sports and whether they might be allowed to resume in the near future. Right now, only certain sports, including football, are allowed to compete at Michigan high schools. This has become a controversial topic across the state as the governor urges all schools to resume in-person learning by March 1. On Monday, during a COVID-19 briefing, Whitmer was asked about contact sports resuming. “I was wondering if there’s any way you could set a date certain for contact sports to resume,” a reporter said.

During Tuesday’s COVID-19 press conference, Dr. Joneigh Khladun gave more insight into the state’s plans for vaccine distribution. LANSING — During Tuesday’s COVID-19 press conference, Dr. Joneigh Khladun gave more insight into the state’s plans of vaccine distribution. Due to the vaccines having different storage requirements, distribution will depend on which vaccine gets approval. If Moderna’s vaccine is approved, more than 100 hospitals and health departments have capabilities of storage and administration of that vaccine. We hope to be able to have vaccines available to the general public by late spring.”

ANN ARBOR – Ann Arbor Public Schools Superintendent Jeanice Kerr Swift released a statement on Friday morning urging the Michigan High School Athletic Association to postpone the winter sports season as cases of COVID-19 reach new levels across the state. We take our responsibility very seriously to coordinate high school sports activities in a healthy, safe and responsible manner during the COVID-19 pandemic that continues this fall. "Therefore, we are calling on the MHSAA to delay the start of the winter athletic season. "Over the next two weeks, we will continue our advocacy to delay the winter sports season. We will provide regular updates to our school community and present the Board of Education with a report on November 11, 2020.

LANSING, Mich. – The top health official in the state of Michigan said Wednesday that she’s “truly optimistic” a safe, effective coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine could be available this fall. I’m truly optimistic that a safe and effective vaccine will be developed, and maybe be available this fall." “We’re going to get through this, but we need to all step up and slow the spread of this disease together,” Khaldun said. “Wear your mask, wash your hands, watch your distance, and please, this season, get your flu shot.”Khaldun’s comments come one day after Dr. Anthony Fauci talked about the realistic timeline for a COVID-19 vaccine. “When we get a vaccine, let’s say, available at the end of the year, there will be millions and tens of millions of doses available,” Fauci said.

Gretchen Whitmer is expected to announce a plan to reopen gyms and movie theaters that have been closed since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Local 4 has learned. Gym owners say they believe Whitmer is going to talk this week about allowing them to reopen. During her Tuesday (Aug. 25) briefing, Whitmer said shes not going to be bullied into reopening businesses that are still closed because of COVID-19. Whitmer has authority to use emergency pandemic powersOfficials continue to assess if protocols are in place to safely reopen the businesses that remain closed, Whitmer said. Whitmers handling of pandemic :Reopening Michigan :Health questions, advice :Vaccines :Outbreaks :Unemployment :Individual stories :

Gretchen Whitmer is preparing to announce a plan to reopen gyms and movie theaters that have been closed since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Local 4 has learned. Gym owners say they believe Whitmer is going to talk this week about allowing them to reopen. The Michigan Fitness Club Association has been lobbying Whitmer to reopen gyms. Whitmer has authority to use emergency pandemic powersOfficials continue to assess if protocols are in place to safely reopen the businesses that remain closed, Whitmer said. Whitmers handling of pandemic :Reopening Michigan :Health questions, advice :Vaccines :Outbreaks :Unemployment :Individual stories :

Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday that shes not going to be bullied into reopening businesses that are still closed because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. READ: Michigans top medical official updates how COVID-19 cases are trending in all 8 regionsIm not going to be bullied into making that decision, Whitmer said. Whitmer has authority to use emergency pandemic powersOfficials continue to assess if protocols are in place to safely reopen the businesses that remain closed, Whitmer said. The Upper Peninsula and Saginaw Region are at 57 cases per million people per day, Khaldun said. The Upper Peninsula was at 47 cases per million people per day -- a slight decrease over the previous week, Khaldun said.