June 1 (UPI) -- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday rescinded the state's stay-at-home order, allowing many businesses to reopen later this week following restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Whitmer issued an executive order allowing retailers to open on June 4 and restaurants to open on June 8 with both being subject to capacity limits. Day camps for children will also be permitted to reopen June 8.
Effective immediately, the order allows groups of 100 or fewer to gather outdoors with social distancing and permits office work not capable of being performed remotely and in-home services such as housecleaning to resume.
"The data has shown that we are ready to carefully move our state into the next phase of the MI Safe Start Plan, but we owe it to our brave frontline heroes to get this right," said Whitmer. "While Michiganders are no longer required to stay home, we must all continue to be smart and practice social distancing and encourage those who meet the criteria to get tested for COVID-19. If we all do our part, our goal is to announce a shift to phase five for the entire state prior to the fourth of July. Stay smart, stay safe and let's all do our part."
Whitmer's executive order comes after protests in April and May at the state capital, sometimes including protesters armed with firearms, calling for the measure to be rescinded.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also announced Tuesday that the state had moved to stage two of its reopening plan.
Under the plan, outdoor dining and limited in-person retail will be permitted to open on June 15, hair salons and barbershops will open on June 22 and youth summer programs will be permitted to reopen on July 6.
The state will also begin phasing in in-person clinical research and labs, limited reopenings of fitness centers and gyms, limited in-person government services, as well as museums and libraries.
