LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer provided another update on the state's response to coronavirus on Friday afternoon.
Whitmer was joined by MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. Also joining her will be Pat Devlin of the Michigan Building Trades and Barton Mallow President and CEO Ryan Maibach.
She talked about a new executive order that allowed construction, real-estate services and other jobs primarily outdoors to resume on May 7.
Whitmer also talked about the protests, saying they were "distrubing" as she saw swastikas, Confederate flags, nooses and more.
Dr. Khaldun also said "COVID-19 will likely change the way we think about our lives for the next year or so."
She also discusses the disagreements with the legislature, saying what happened on Thursday was "political theater."
The press conference comes one day after Whitmer signed three new executive orders declaring a new state of emergency and state of disaster in Michigan until May 28 at 11:59 p.m.
Hundreds of people showed up to the Capitol building in Lansing to protest on Thursday.
Later in the day, the Republican-led State House refused to extend the state of emergency and also voted to authorize a lawsuit challenging Whitmer's authority.
There are now 3,789 deaths and 41,379 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Michigan, according to new numbers released from the State of Michigan on Thursday.
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