“The ball is in your court!”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has invited rival coaches from Michigan college sports to help her promote the Mask Up Michigan campaign.
“From all of us, the bottom line us, let’s all Mask Up for Michigan, and show this country that Michigan does really work together,” said MSU men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo at a press conference Wednesday.
The coaches appear together in a TV ad that will begin appearing on local television stations across the state.
Izzo, joins MSU football coach Mel Tucker, MSU women’s basketball coach Suzy Merchant, U-M football coach Jim Harbaugh, U-M men’s basketball coach Juwan Howard, and U-M women’s basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico to spread the message.
“If we all work together as a team and wear our masks now, we can put our state in a stronger position for kids to return to school safely in the fall,” said Governor Whitmer. “Masks can reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19 by about 70 percent, and it’s been proven that masking up can protect our small businesses and our economy. By wearing masks, we can save lives and protect our family, friends, and the heroes on the front lines from the spread of COVID-19. This is going to be a team effort, but I know Michigan is up to the challenge. Let’s all mask up when we’re out in public.”
Last week, Governor Whitmer signed executive order 2020-147, which reiterates that individuals are required to wear a face-covering whenever they are in an indoor public space. It also requires the use of face coverings in crowded outdoor spaces. Most significantly, the order requires any business that is open to the public to refuse entry or service to people who refuse to wear a face covering, with limited exceptions.
Governors in the states of Kansas, Maine, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Washington have imposed similar requirements on businesses.
