The recent rise in COVID-19 numbers could be the start of another spike. Many schools in Metro Detroit are taking action and going back to requiring masks.

Michigan State University is reevaluating its COVID-19 restrictions after virus cases declined significantly in recent weeks following a monthslong surge of infections and hospitalizations.

U-M officials are urging community members to stay vigilant as the BA.2 variant spreads on campus.

Students, educators and visitors will no longer be required to wear masks in shared reception areas, service areas and some other indoor spaces on the Ypsilanti campus.

After the last couple years of living through a global pandemic, it seems as though most of us are itching to get in some good travel time.

The University of Michigan is dropping its mask mandate for indoor sports, offices and residence halls while maintaining its requirements in other school settings.

Face masks will be optional for U.S. union auto workers, as long as their factories are in counties that are not at high risk for the novel coronavirus.

The time has officially come for some districts to finally remove the mask from the classroom setting as more and more counties adhere to new CDC recommendations.

The superintendent of Detroit public schools said the district will wait until at least mid-March to consider removing its mask mandate.

On Monday, the mask mandate is officially dropping for several schools in multiple counties. While lots of people are excited, some believe this may be happening all too soon.

Wayne County health officials are no longer requiring students to wear face masks while at school.

A Friday email from AAPS Superintendent Jeanice Swift said that universal masking and other safety protocols remain in place until further notice.

The rolling back of school mask mandates continued Friday, Feb. 11, as Oakland and Washtenaw counties joined Ingham County on the list of those who plan to lift their mask requirements for K-12 schools and daycares.

The superintendent of Southfield Public Schools sent a letter home to families that stated the district will continue to utilize face masks.

Washtenaw County health officials are lifting their COVID orders for all K-12 schools at the end of February.

Authorities say a man who wanted to join the protests in Canada's capital over mask mandates called in a bomb threat but called the wrong Ottawa.

St. Clair County Medical Health Officer Dr. Annette Mercatante spoke with Local 4 about why the county is dropping its school masks mandate.

There is not a statewide face mask mandate right now in Michigan.

U-M students will return to in-person instruction on Wednesday.

Grosse Pointe Public Schools is debating whether to lift its mask mandate.

On Thursday, the Washtenaw County Health Department released a statement about the legality of its emergency orders for educational settings.

A health official in West Michigan said people have threatened his life because he issued a school mask mandate.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s team and its legislative counterparts have come to a budget agreement before the Oct. 1 deadline.

A new poll from the Detroit Regional Chamber shows that Michigan residents are deeply divided when it comes to the idea of COVID vaccine mandates.

The vice president of the State Board of Education and Superintendent is calling on Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration to issue a mask mandate for schools.

Dozens of employees are suing Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) over their policy that mandates COVID-19 vaccinations, among several others, for all staff members.

A video shows parents in Washtenaw County urging their kids to ignore their high school’s mask mandate and enter the school.

Washtenaw County health officials have issued an emergency order that will require face masks to be worn at all K-12 schools this fall.

We’re tracking which Michigan school districts and colleges are requiring face masks to be worn during the upcoming school year amid the ongoing COVID pandemic.

New survey results show Gen Z is prioritizing COVID-19 safety precautions at their colleges and universities of choice while many are concerned about spreading COVID-19 to a family member this fall.

The Washtenaw County Health Department expects to announce a mask mandate later this week.

Tuesday marks the return to school for thousands of children in Macomb County. Unlike neighboring Oakland and Wayne counties, there is no countywide mask mandate. Most districts have decided to make masks optional.

A newspaper reporter says he was punched in the face while covering an anti-mask event near Traverse City.

“Unfortunately, Washtenaw County has moved into a “high” level of COVID-19 transmission,” the update reads.

We have been tracking the evolving responses to the call for masks inside Michigan school buildings as students and teachers head back into classrooms for the start of the 2021-22 academic year.

"We feel it necessary to take this precaution instead of shutting down the building," said superintendent Chuck Hughes.

"The Board’s decision to recommend masks for our students and staff was based solely on the CDC’s return-to-school guidelines, which is not a health mandate."

A Hartland elementary school has issued a mask mandate after several students have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Oakland County said the increase in cases is the reason it’s mandating masks at all K-12 schools. It’s decision not everyone is happy with.

The Oakland County Health Division issued an emergency health order Tuesday that requires all students and staff to wear masks when they return to school.

On Tuesday, the Oakland County Health Department issued a universal mask mandate for all students from preschool through 12th grade.

A4 spoke with the Washtenaw County Health Department to understand how COVID is impacting the county.

Parents organizing in the Romeo School District in Macomb County said they are putting pressure on decision makers to mandate masks in schools.

We’re tracking which Michigan school districts and colleges are requiring face masks to be worn during the upcoming school year amid the ongoing COVID pandemic.

The state of Virginia has a new public health order that mandates masks for all students and staff in K-12 schools.

As K-12 schools prepare to resume in-person learning in Michigan and across the nation this fall, many are discussing whether children should be required to wear face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Students return to class at U-M on Aug. 30.

The Ann Arbor YMCA has reinstated its mask policy as Washtenaw County sees "substantial" COVID transmission, according to the CDC.

University of Michigan announced a new mask mandate as the delta variant emerges on campus and throughout the country.

The American Academy and Pediatrics is strongly recommending masks be worn by all students and staff in school for the upcoming academic year.

For many people it is the fear of those new variants making them very reluctant to let go of the protocols that have made them feel safer for the past 14 months.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer held a news conference Tuesday afternoon as the state lifts nearly all COVID-19 restrictions after more than 15 months.

Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new guidance on masks last week, the dominoes are slowly falling in Michigan.

Nurses are pushing back on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying it is just way too soon to relax mask wearing guidance.

There is no way to tell who is vaccinated and who is not, which puts Michigan residents on an honor system. A University of Michigan researcher spoke with Local 4 about how to make the right choice and trust people around you are doing the same.

As of Saturday, Michigan lifted mask requirements for most indoor and outdoor settings for fully vaccinated residents. The move matches newly issued guidance from the CDC.

The mask mandate in Michigan is now lifted, which those who are fully vaccinated don’t have to wear a mask outside or inside.

Michigan will be following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and lift the mask mandate for those who are fully vaccinated starting Saturday, May 15.

U-M's President Mark Schlissel said individuals walking outdoors on campus can go mask-free.

The state is easing some of the requirements -- especially for those who are outside and vaccinated.

Michigan has updated its COVID-19 rules for gatherings, mask wearing, certain events and organized sports.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced Tuesday that masks will generally not be required at outdoor gatherings that has less than 100 people.

Since last year a Canton nursery has had kids wearing masks when they come in and out of the building. On Monday, kids had masks on all day there except for when they were eating or napping.

LANSING, Mich. – On the day that Michigan hospital systems banded together to put out the alert on the rise of COVID-19 cases, Gov. ‘No area of the state is spared’: How COVID-19 is trending in all 8 Michigan regionsA spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said “Sen. As state officials announce 6,000 new COVID-19 cases daily in Michigan, hospitalizations are starting to trend in wrong direction. During a virtual discussion with the presidents and CEOS of major Michigan health systems, the most pressing concern isn’t space, but staff availability. COVID-19 cases in Michigan are at an all-time high, and Gov.

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Senate is set to go into session Thursday and take up coronavirus-related orders nearly a week after Michigan Supreme Court ruled to strike down Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders. In a split decision, the state Supreme Court overturned a 1945 law that Whitmer had been using to kick out executive orders with no checks and balances from Legislature. The court also said in a unanimous decision that all of Whitmer’s executive orders past April 30 are not valid because there was no input from the state Legislature. However, days of Whitmer issuing executive orders are over unless it’s a deal reached with the Legislature.

If a driver reports to Uber that a rider wasn’t wearing a mask, that rider will be required to take a selfie with their face covered before they can take another trip with Uber. “We believe accountability is a two-way street and have implemented policies and built technology to promote shared accountability and mutual respect. In May, we announced that all users (riders, drivers and delivery people) are required to wear a mask or face cover during a trip,” said Navideh Forghani, with Uber. Uber officials said more than 1,250 riders have had their access to the Uber app removed after multiple reports from drivers that they hadn’t been wearing a mask. Since May, drivers and delivery people have been required to take a selfie to verify that they’re wearing a mask before they can start using the app to drive.