LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Governor Gretchen Whitmer is encouraging all children to wear face coverings while indoors, and is now requiring masks to be worn by kids in certain settings.
On Thursday she signed an executive order, which takes effect on Monday, requiring that face coverings be worn by children two years or older while they are in any day care centers, camps, school buses or other forms of transportation.
Staff members and children four years or older must wear them while in all indoor common areas, and all staff and children 12 or older are required to wear them “when in classrooms, homes, cabins, or similar indoor small-group settings,” according to the executive order.
Overall the order strongly encourages all children ages two and up to wear a face covering when in any indoor setting. The only exceptions are if a child cannot medically tolerate a face covering, is eating, swimming, or doing a high-intensity activity outside while still physically distanced.
If a child-care center is located in a region in Phase 5 of the MI Safe Start Plan, face coverings are not required, but are still strongly recommended.
Governor Whitmer says the main reason for this order is because Michigan has seen coronavirus outbreaks at day care centers and camps and wearing face coverings could slow the spread.
In a written statement the governor said, “Child-care workers have been on the front lines of this crisis and have worked tirelessly to provide a safe place for our children and families during this time. COVID-19 is still a very real threat to Michiganders of all ages, and we must continue to stay vigilant and use every tool at our disposal to protect ourselves and each other. I am committed to doing everything in my power to protect people of all ages from COVID-19. By masking up, we can all be a part of the solution to further prevent the spread of the virus and save lives.”
More information on this executive order can be found here.
