Governor Gretchen Whitmer has sent a letter to President Trump asking him to declare a Major Disaster in Michigan due to COVID-19.
Whitmer says she is hopeful that President Trump will grant her request for disaster relief within the new few days.
“If granted in full, among other things, this will help us provide meals to families who need them. It would help us provide rental assistance and temporary housing to families,” Whitmer said.
With the number of cases of COVID-19 rising every day, healthcare providers across the state are complaining of shortages in protective gear like masks and gloves.
Hospitals in Southeast Michigan have been hit particularly hard, with some hospitals saying they are near capacity.
Whitmer says the state has collected a lot of protective gear for healthcare workers from other states and businesses.
“Assuming all these shipments come in as planned it’s good. It’s definitely something that is helpful, but it is still not nearly enough to meet our need,” Whitmer said.
The state is asking hospitals outside of Southeast Michigan to serve as relief hospitals, and reserve ten percent of their beds to send patients from the Metro-Detroit area.
Whitmer reiterateed what she said on Monday, the best way to protect lives right now is to stay home.
“When we do, we save lives. That is how we will begin to slow the spread of covid-19,” she said.
