LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Wednesday, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist issues an open letter to Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield calling for an enforced mask mandade inside the Michigan Senate and House chambers.
“This is not a political issue. This is ultimately about standing tall for the people who serve our state,” Gilchrist wrote in the letter. “Our members are elected to serve in these Chambers, their staffs serve in critical support roles, and the media have a duty to inform the public about the actions of our government. They deserve to know their safety is respected by their leadership.”
Gilchrist says the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization all now recommend cloth masks be worn over the nose and mouth, along with hand washing and social distancing, to slow the spread of this virus.
Gilchrist also cites his own experiences during this pandemic as reasons for the mandate.
“I have seen what the coronavirus can do. I have lost 23 people who are close to me, including members of my family,” Gilchrist wrote. “Speaker Chatfield, we are both family men who have always chosen to prioritize family health and safety, especially if they have elevated risk factors. In addition to my family, I fear for the safety of the people I know working in the frontlines every day in your district and across our state.”
Under his epidemic authority, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon issued an Emergency Order on October 5 restricting gathering sizes, requiring face coverings in public spaces and places limitations on bars and other venues.
That order came after the Michigan Supreme Court struck down Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Orders regarding the pandemic last week.
Whitmer is now appealing to have further clarification on the ruling, and is asking that the orders remain in place until the end of the month.
A copy of the letter from Gilchrist can be viewed here.
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