Michigan No Longer Requires Masks for Fully Vaccinated People. What Does This Mean for Business Owners?

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced today that the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is updating its Gatherings and Mask Order to align with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines on face coverings.

The order goes into effect, tomorrow, May 15, at 9 a.m.

Under the updated MDHHS Gatherings and Mask Order, Michiganders who are outdoors will no longer need to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status.

While indoors, fully vaccinated Michiganders will no longer need to wear a mask, but residents who are not vaccinated, or have not completed their vaccinations, must continue to wear a mask or face covering to protect themselves and others.

After July 1, the broad indoor mask mandate will expire.

To date, Michigan has administered 7,875,785 vaccines. According to CDC data, 55.6% of Michiganders ages 16 and older have received at least one dose, with more than 43% percent of Michiganders ages 16 and older being fully vaccinated. The state has also administered the vaccine to 927 Michiganders between the ages of 12 to 15 years old.

CDC Guidelines

The Guidelines provide that if you’ve been fully vaccinated, the following are generally considered safe at this time:

• You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
• Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
• You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
• You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
• You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
• You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
• If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.
• However, if you live or work in a correctional or detention facility or a homeless shelter and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

What does this mean for Michigan employers?

Private entities may use their discretion regarding mask wearing and social distancing for employees, customers, and other visitors on their property.

Help is available

The attorneys at O’Reilly Rancilio are available to answer questions related to law in the COVID-19 era. For more information please call 586-726-1000 or visit our website at www.orlaw.com.