Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order on June 1, moving the state to the fourth phase of the “MI Safe Start Plan.” On June 5, she announced that regions six and eight, which cover the Upper Peninsula and Traverse City, would advance to phase five of the plan. The MI Safe Start plan is the governor’s six-phase framework for gradually lifting the restrictions she imposed on social and economic activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She announced that phase four would occur in stages.

Beginning immediately, the following activities and businesses can resume operations:

• Outdoor gatherings of 100 people or fewer are allowed so long as the participants maintain social distancing of six feet apart. This means that events such as weddings, graduation parties, funerals and birthday parties can now be held

• Outdoor fitness classes and gyms can resume operations so long as participants maintain a six-feet distance from one another

• Office work that cannot be performed at home can resume on site; work that can be performed at home should continue to be done there

• Drive-in movie theaters can resume operation

• Housecleaning services and other in-home services can also resume.

Beginning June 4:

• Retail businesses can reopen with reduced capacity limits

• Pet groomers are allowed to resume operations, as long as they observe certain guidelines for operation.

Beginning June 8:

• Dine-in service at restaurants and bars can resume, with social distancing and face masks required; operations are limited to 50% capacity

• Day camps for children can reopen, with additional guidelines required.

The phase 5 reopening plan in regions six and eight will see the reopening of the following social activities and economic sectors:

• Personal care services such as hair and nail salons, tattoo parlors, tanning salons and exercise facilities can open, provided they observe strict safety and hygiene measures to protect employees and clients

• Movie theaters and gyms can reopen, which means that indoor gathering of up to 50 people and outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people are permitted, so long as they follow the social distancing guidelines

• Outdoor performances and sporting venues can open to accommodate a larger capacity of 500 people, provided they observe the guidelines

• Convention centers and performance spaces can reopen with a limit of 25% of their maximum capacity or 250 persons, whichever is less.

On June 15, personal services including nails, massage and tattoo parlors will reopen statewide.

The following are still not allowed to reopen: public transportation, schools and massage spas.

For more information, visit https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.

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