Michiganders Prepare For Life After COVID Restrictions

LANSING, MI — For many Michiganders, Tuesday couldn't come soon enough. That's because Tuesday marks the end for the majority of Michigan's COVID-19 restrictions, including a mandate on face coverings in many public spaces and capacity limits.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office announced the changes on Thursday, citing plummeting COVID-19 cases and increased vaccinations.

"Today is a day that we have all been looking forward to, as we can safely get back to normal day-to-day activities and put this pandemic behind us," Whitmer said in a statement at the time of the announcement. "We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the medical experts and health professionals who stood on the front lines to keep us all safe. And we are incredibly thankful to all of the essential workers who kept our state moving."

Related: MI Is About To End COVID Restrictions: Here Are 3 Things To Know

But what will life in Michigan look like after more than a year of various health restrictions? Well, for some opting to continue wearing face coverings, it might not look much different. But a certain stigma attached to wearing a mask has them concerned.

In recent interviews with people in downtown Royal Oak, WXYZ reported that some feel shamed by others because they are deciding to keep their masks on when in some public places.

“There was a lot of judgment, but we kept our mask on,” Aarti Panchal told the TV station.

The issue isn't solely in Michigan, either. A recent column published by Darcel Rocket of the Chicago Tribune suggests "mask shaming" and the politicization of one's choice to wear a mask after the mandate officially ends is running rampant in Illinois and other states.

"There was a moment for every one of us when we realized that we were being overcome by an extraordinarily powerful force (the pandemic) that we couldn’t control," said Laurie Zoloth, a bioethicist at the University of Chicago, interviewed for the piece. "People reacted to it in two very different ways. Some people wore a mask, saying I take this seriously, I’m in reality and I’m cautious. They have a story that involves a scientific grasp of what’s going on.

"And for others, the mask served to remind them of a painful truth they would rather deny," Zoloth continued in the article. "For those people, seeing someone wearing a mask is very destabilizing, because here’s someone wearing the visible sign of catastrophe, and they don’t want to be reminded of that tragic reality."

Michigan Board of Canvassers To Certify Unlock Michigan Petitions Wednesday

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers is expected to certify petitions gathered by the conservative group Unlock Michigan Wednesday morning.

Recently, Michigan's Supreme Court ruled that the state's board of canvassers is required to certify the group's petition repeal a 1945 law cited by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in issuing public health orders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, Unlock Michigan was able to gather enough voter signatures to repeal a 75-year-old-law cited by the Whitmer administration as it issued executive orders during the coronavirus pandemic. The law was later ruled unconstitutional.

Related: Conservative Group's Petition Targets MI Public Health Orders

The meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Weather for the Week Ahead

After strong storms crossed over southeast Michigan Sunday evening, more storms may be in order for parts of the area early this week. Here is the upcoming forecast, as provided by the National Weather Service in Detroit.

• Monday: High of 77, low of 49. Thunderstorms during the day and mostly cloudy at night.
• Tuesday: High of 71, low of 52. Sunny during the day, mostly clear at night.
• Wednesday: High of 77, low of 62. Mostly sunny during the day, partly cloudy at night.
• Thursday: High of 86. Mostly sunny.