Starting Saturday, fully vaccinated Michiganders are no longer required to wear a face mask inside or outdoors.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer updated the statewide mandate following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, which recommended “fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.”
"For more than a year, we’ve been following the best data and science to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives," Whitmer said in a statement. "The vast majority of us have trusted the scientists and experts to keep us safe during the pandemic, and it has worked. With millions of Michiganders fully vaccinated, we can now safely and confidently take the next step to get back to normal."
According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, 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.
“It’s critical that eligible Michigan residents who have not yet been vaccinated schedule their appointments as soon as they can,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and MDHHS chief deputy director for health.
As of May 13, 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.
Although the state's daily average of cases has dropped, it remains one of the highest in the country.
