It Doesn’t Take An Einstein…

Yay Michigan –

We’re #1! Again.

Data from state health officials shows Michigan has surpassed 100,000 active COVID-19 cases in the last week, the highest number since mid-November. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks the Wolverine State’s COVID-19 infection rate as No. 1 in the country with 492.1 positive infections per 100,000 people. – ABC News

But don’t worry, the Governor isn’t planning to shut us down…any more than we already are.

Despite the startling stats, Whitmer… says she is not planning to roll back already loosened regulations for reopening the state, which now allows for 50% in-door dining at restaurants and public schools to reopen for in-class learning.

“To be very clear, these are not orders, mandates, or requirements. A year in, we all know what works and this has to be a team effort. We have to do this together.”

To be absolutely clear:they are not orders, mandates or requirements but Whitmer is strongly urging residents to avoid indoor dining for two weeks, for high schools to consider going back to virtual learning for two weeks and to hit the pause button on organized youth sports. She said she’s relying on the common sense of a citizenry now experienced in struggling with the deadly virus for over a year. In other words she trusts that enough of us have been indoctrinated. She’s now relying on the Karens and Kens to keep the rest of us in check.

“We’re going to have some tough weeks ahead so I’m asking everyone, please take this seriously,” the governor said Friday. “We can’t let up now, not when we’re so close.” – CNN

Almost reached the goal line!

By way of explaining Michigan’s current surge the Governor offered up this gem:

Whitmer said that there are multiple reasons for the surge in cases. First, people have started to let their guard down as the vaccine has become more widely available. Second, previous orders have kept positivity rates low so the state is more vulnerable than others.

That was last Friday. Yesterday she announced she was extending the state’s office closure order, that was supposed to expire tomorrow, for another 6 months:

Following the tour of the Eastern Michigan University vaccine clinic in Ypsilanti, the governor was asked her plans to extend the order that requires people to work from home when possible. She said that the state would be extending the work-from-home orders because of the high case rate in Michigan but that this is a necessary step.

So let me get this straight: if we have lockdown orders in place to keep the number of cases down it makes us…more vulnerable? So in order to stop the current surge – caused by making ourselves more vulnerable – we’re going to continue the lockdown? My head’s spinning.

This might be a good time to remind Wretched Gretchen of the working definition of insanity.

No, Einstein never said that, but really, it hardly takes an Einstein to figure it out.