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LANSING -- The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued a new emergency order that enacts a three-week pause targeting indoor social gatherings and other group activities in an effort to curb rapidly rising COVID-19 infection rates. Governor Whitmer, Chief Medical Executive and MDHHS Chief Deputy for Health Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, and MDHHS Director Robert Gordon held a press conference on November 16 to discuss the new order.

The new series of statewide restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 start on Wednesday, November 18.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a new public health order on Sunday, aimed at curtailing spread of COVID-19 - in large part by preventing social gatherings, which health officials say are a major contributor to the spread.

The new order suspends in-person dining at bars and restaurants, moves high school and college-level classes online and closes movie theaters, bowling alleys and other entertainment venues.

The new restrictions will last for three weeks, ending Dec. 9.

The Three Week Pause Order also imposes contact tracing requirements on certain businesses and activities that are allowed to maintain reduced in-person operations. Specifically, the MDHHS requires those businesses and facilities to "maintain accurate records, including date and time of entry, names of patrons, and contact information" of individuals who enter an employer's facility to aid with contact tracing efforts.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer getting a COVID-19 Test

Another part of the Three Week Pause is that employers must comply with the Three Week Pause Order by, among other things, restricting capacity of indoor and outdoor gatherings at certain types of facilities or venues and entirely prohibiting in-person gatherings at others, including high schools, universities, recreational facilities and entertainment venues.

Whitmer said the order is necessary to stop the ongoing and growing spread of COVID-19.

"As hard as this is, we all need to make short-term sacrifices for a long-term gain," Whitmer said Sunday night.

MDHHS reported Saturday a record 7,072 people tested positive for the coronavirus and an additional 65 people died from COVID-19 statewide. Since March 251,813 people in Michigan have tested positive and 7,994 have died.