Michigan is breaking free from COVID-19.
"It's time to play. It's time to have fun again."
Once ground zero for rising cases and fights over mask mandates…most restrictions in Michigan are gone.
“Effective today our pure Michigan summer is back and we can realize that."
Business owners can now operate at 100% capacity, instead of 50%.
"Now, we're going to be able to start giving people that maybe for the last year, year-and-a-half have been cooped up in their home, that sense of humanity, of joy, of connecting with people."
Even those controversial mask requirements are gone, regardless of vaccination status.
And no more limits on indoor gatherings like weddings and funerals.
“So i’m ready for everything. Come on Michigan, let's do it."
Just over 61% of Michiganders have at least one vaccine dose.
And when it comes to case numbers...
“Under 18 cases per million people. Our percent positivity is under two percent.”
While the state has come a long way, certain communities are still vulnerable.
Only 36% of people in Detroit have received at least one dose.
And an extremely dangerous variant-- called Delta-- is surfacing in more counties.
25 cases of the Delta variant have been identified in five Michigan counties since May 9, according to the state health department. Though 11 of them were from people visiting from out of state.
“Make sure you get that second dose.”
Top infectious disease doctor Anthony Fauci says one vaccine dose won’t cut it against variants.
Setting off warnings from elected leaders…
“Make no mistake, this fall, this Delta variant, we're going to see this come back up again. It's going to happen if we don't get vaccinated.”
Delta’s danger… only stopped… in one way.
“Vaccines are our best shot to keeping these variants in check, keeping more people from getting severely ill and dying from COVID.”
Lauren Magarino, Newsy, Chicago.
