Whitmer: Flags To Fly Half-Staff In Honor Of Michigan COVID-19 Victims

Flags will lower to half-staff for 10 days to honor the 10,000 Michiganders who have died of COVID-19, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered.

At the time Whitmer’s office announced the order on Tuesday (December 8), more than 10,000 people had died of the virus and more than 410,000 had been infected statewide. One of every 1,000 Michiganders has died of the virus, according to the announcement Tuesday.

The order took effect immediately Tuesday, and flags will remain lowered through Friday, December 18. They will be lifted the following day.

“Our nation is grieving alongside each of the families who have an empty seat at the dinner table each night or who will be missing family members during the holiday season,” Whitmer said. “Right now, we need to listen to our scientists and medical professionals who are asking us to double down on wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing to prevent an unnecessarily greater loss of life. With a vaccine on the horizon, there is light at the end of the tunnel, but we each need to do our part until then. We will get through this together.”

Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday (December 7) that the epidemic order that limited indoor gatherings would extend another 12 days. It now runs through December 20.

Photo: Getty Images