Gretchen Whitmer: "We're going to dial back if we have to." (Photo: State of Michigan)
As the number of Covid cases climbs in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Tuesday that she's willing to take the heat and close some segments of the economy if necessary.
“Gyms are not open,” Whitmer told CNN. “Theaters are not open. There are a number of other business entities that are not reengaged yet.
"In so far that we have reengaged hair salons -- that’s something that if we see some outbreaks, we may have to disengage on that front.
"I took a lot of heat. When we brought that cure down we saved thousands of lives. I’m prepared to take heat if that’s what it’s going to take to keep people safe.
"We're going to continue to monitor the numbers. If they keep moving up, we're going to dial back if we have to. And it's the last thing any of us wants.
Her comments came Tuesday as the state reported 454 new cases and 30 deaths. Of the deaths, 20 previous deaths were included because of a review of past death certificates. Total deaths since March 10 now stand at 6,005.
On the upside, the state reports only 317 hospitalized Covid patients Monday, compared to about 3,900 in mid-April.
