Health Officials Say Don’t Play Contact Sports; Whitmer Says Follow The Science, Play Contact Sports

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has said repeatedly that her executive orders involving the COVID-19 epidemic are based on the best science and data. However, Whitmer is not following her own executive orders when it comes to allowing contact sports such as high school football to be played in Michigan.

Those orders say “sports organizers” should follow Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on “whether a sport can be played safely.” The MDHHS says contact sports “should be avoided at this time," but contact sports are going to be played and Whitmer approves.

Whitmer approves of not following her own orders, even when the state's chief medical executive says doing so will endanger the general public.

Executive order: “Sports organizers should follow the guidance of the Department of Health and Human Services regarding whether and how a sport can be played safely.”

Guidance from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services: “Given the available epidemiological data and the timing as many schools and universities return to campus, contact sports pose a high risk of disease transmission to athletes, coaches and the general community, and should be avoided at this time.”