MARQUETTE — To help slow the spread of COVID-19, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon on Friday issued an emergency order restricting gathering sizes and requiring face coverings in public spaces and childcare facilities.

The order also places capacity limitations on stores, bars and other public venues.

This order was effective immediately and remains in effect through Oct. 30. The order is under section 2253 of the Public Health Code.

“Our goal is to maintain policies that have made a drastic difference in the fight against COVID-19,” Gordon said in a statement.

Friday’s order came under a legal authority enacted by the Michigan Legislature after the Spanish Flu of 1918 specifically to deal with epidemics.

New provisions provide for capacity limits in businesses, masks in childcare centers, added protections for workers and requirements for contact tracing.

Under the new MDHHS order:

≤ Masks must be worn at any gatherings occurring at businesses, offices, schools, child care facilities, sporting events and other non-residential events;

≤ Businesses cannot admit individuals who do not wear a face covering, and there are few exceptions;

≤ The mask requirement continues to apply for organized gatherings larger than 10 indoors and 100 outdoors;

≤ Capacity limits apply to indoor gatherings, including business, social and recreational;

≤ Except in Region 6, a gathering at a retail store, library or museum may not exceed 50% of total occupancy limit established by state or local fire marshal;

≤ Gatherings at recreational sports and exercise facilities are prohibited if they exceed 25% of the total occupancy limits established by the by state or local fire marshal, or if there is less than 6 feet of distance between each workout station;

≤ Gatherings at non-tribal casinos may not exceed 15% of total occupancy limits established by state or local fire marshal;

≤ Food service establishments may not exceed 50% of normal seating capacity;

≤ Capacity limits also apply to outdoor gatherings but are less strict;

≤ Restaurants and bars have capacity limits for gatherings and may serve alcohol only to parties who are seated, 6 feet apart and remain separate;

≤ Organized sports require face coverings and have gathering limits; and

≤ Individuals who are in isolation or quarantine because of COVID-19 exposure, symptoms or test results cannot go to work with others, and employers cannot require them to come to work in person with anyone else present.

To minimize confusion following the recent Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling against Whitmer’s previous executive orders, MDHHS has maintained policy under executive orders as much as possible in its new order.

Capacity limits and rules for sports remain the same, and mask requirements for businesses and individuals are almost identical, although they do not apply to individuals at outside gatherings except when unable to maintain 6 feet of distance.

There are no longer bar closures, but bars may serve alcohol only to gatherings seated at tables.

To aid in contact tracing, many businesses continue to be required to maintain accurate records of the names, contact information, date and time of entry of all visitors.

Local health departments are authorized to carry out and enforce the terms of this order, and law enforcement officers may also enforce the order and are specifically authorized to investigate potential violations of this order.

Violations are a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six months or a fine of not more than $200, or both. Violations of this order are also punishable by a civil fine of up to $1,000.

Exposure site ID’d in Republic

The Marquette County Health Department has become aware through contact tracing efforts that there has been a potential public COVID-19 exposure at the Pine Grove Bar, located at 286 Front St. in Republic.

The MCHD recommends that anyone who visited the bar from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Oct. 3-4 monitor themselves for symptoms and contact their medical providers if they become symptomatic.

Testing information can be found at mqthealth.org.

Downtown Marquette Halloween off

The Marquette Downtown Development Authority announced that a formal downtown trick-or-treating event will not be held this year. The MDDA encourages downtown businesses to follow guidelines set forth by the city, which is working with the Marquette County Health Department to come up with best practices for trick-or-treating.

These guidelines will be announced soon. It will be up to the individual businesses to notify the public if they will participate in a community-wide event.

NMU reports cases

Northern Michigan University’s Safe on Campus dashboard at https://nmu.edu/safe-on-campus/ has indicated that between July 27 and Friday, there have been 70 cumulative COVID-19 positive cases, which include 30 on-campus students, 34 off-campus students and six employees.

There are eight active positives — one on-campus student, six off-campus students and one employee.

Sheriff’s office restricted

The Alger County Sheriff’s Office has canceled inmate visitation and limited all front office non-essential business to emergencies only.

The office front door will be locked indefinitely to the public due to the positive COVID-19 cases in the county.

The offices requests that all non-emergency issues as well as business issues be contacted by phone at 906-387-4444.

Haunted Hayride canceled

Marquette’s Haunted Hayride posted on its Facebook page on Friday that this year’s event will not take place.

Anyone who purchased a car pass, individual ticket or apparel were to receive a full refund on Friday through MyNorth Tickets.

Houghton County schools to resume in-person classes

The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department announced on Thursday that all Houghton County schools may resume in-person classes beginning on Monday. The WUPHD pointed to an increase in testing capacity and a case rate that is beginning to trend downward as reasons for the action.

WUPHD will continue to monitor statistics and capacity, meeting each week with school administrators to discuss local conditions and recommending more closures as necessary.

Additional food assistance available

Approximately 350,000 Michigan families will continue to have access to additional food assistance benefits during this month in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Whitmer and the MDHHS announced on Friday.

Michigan previously approved the additional food assistance for March through September. That now that is being extended through this month with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.

Eligible clients will see additional food assistance benefits on their Bridge Card by Oct. 30, with payments beginning for some households on Oct. 18. Additional benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance provided earlier in the month.

Mink test positive

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed the recent discovery of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans, in mink on a Michigan farm.

Investigations into how the mink contracted the virus are ongoing, but there is no evidence that animals, including mink, play a major role in spreading the virus to humans, MDARD said.

Christie Mastric can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250. Her email address is cbleck@miningjournal.net