Michigan increases outdoor stadium capacity and requires COVID testing for youth sports

LANSING, Mich. – Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer announced Friday that the state will increase capacity in outdoor stadiums and will require COVID-19 testing for young athletes participating in sports.

He Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has updated its COVID-19 order to allow up to 20% capacity in outdoor stadiums and arenas with infection control plans. They must also have fixed seats.

The new rules will take effect on Monday and will run until April 19th.

“The pandemic has been tough for all of us, but by staying focused on acting fast, following science and listening to experts, we can save lives and help our economy recover faster,” Whitmer said. “Today’s action is an important step towards normalcy, but there is still more work to be done.”

Announcements

Outdoor stadiums can fill up to 20% as long as they follow these protocols:

• Publicly publish the mitigation plan.

• Send infection control plans to the local health department and MDHHS at least seven days before the scheduled events.

“We really appreciate the ongoing collaboration with the governor’s office and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services,” said Chris Granger, chairman of Ilitch Holdings ’sports and entertainment group. “We are delighted to safely welcome the best baseball fans to Comerica Park during opening day and beyond. As the season progresses, we look forward to continued coordination with medical and public health experts, government officials and Major League Baseball to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all Detroit Tigers fans. “

The state announced an increase in testing for 13- to 19-year-olds to make sure they can participate in sports safely. You can learn more about the program at Website Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.

Announcements

This responds to an increase in the number of COVID-19 outbreaks associated with youth sports, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, of MDHHS, he said.

“Michigan students deserve to surely enjoy the most comprehensive experience we can offer in high school,” said JoLynn Clark, principal of Frankenmuth High School. “This means finding ways to provide face-to-face instruction along with extracurricular activities, a fundamental part of a student’s life. This past fall, educators witnessed first-hand the damaging impacts of both instruction and student well-being that occur when we can’t find ways to do them safely.

The new test rules also go into effect on Monday and run until April 19th.