State Rep. Hank Vaupel today announced a regional, safety-focused approach to restarting Michigan’s economy and re-establishing a semblance of normalcy in the COVID-19 era.

House Republicans unveiled a blueprint Monday to help move the state toward a rolling restart — an approach based on the prevalence and risk factors of the virus, which varies by region. A task force would be established to determine which counties could have some COVID-19 restrictions eased more quickly, getting more people back to work and more facets of everyday life – when it’s safe.

“The health and safety of our people are the most important objectives at this time, but those who are able to work safely while maintaining social distancing safety standards should be allowed to do so,” Vaupel said. “That’s just one example of the regional changes that I believe should be made to the orders on Livingston County residents.”

A task force – including representatives from Gov. Whitmer’s administration, the Legislature and outside groups – would place counties into one of three tiers based on coronavirus activity and other factors such as hospitalization rates and capacity. Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties – which have the vast majority of COVID-19 cases in the state – would be in the tier with strictest restrictions. Other counties would be placed in tiers with fewer restrictions.

The same task force would help determine which jobs and activities could be resumed safely, starting from the premise of federal CISA guidelines which in some cases are not as restrictive as the prohibitions now in place in Michigan. The task force would make frequent recommendations to the governor to reflect changes in coronavirus activity.

“I respect the governor’s efforts to protect Michiganders and I share her goal of limiting the spread of coronavirus, but a one-size-fits-all approach no longer works for the people of Livingston County,” Vaupel said. “I am hopeful the governor will accept our invitation to work together to determine what can be done safely in each corner of the state without compromising public health.”

To view the full plan, visit the Michigan House Republican website.

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