LANSING - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an Executive Order Wednesday that closes bars statewide and reduces the size of indoor and outdoor gatherings.

Under the new order, establishments that make earn more than 70% of sales in alcohol must close the indoor dining, outdoor dining is still allowed but people are not allowed indoors. This applies to all regions including regions 6 and 8 which have been in phase 5 since last month, the rest of the state remains in phase 4.

Gathering sizes have also been restricted in response to recent outbreaks at Harpers in East Lansing and various parties around the state. Indoor gatherings statewide cannot exceed 10 people and outdoor gatherings cannot exceed 100 people. The new rule on outdoor gatherings does not apply to regions 6 and 8 therefore it will remain at 250 people.

“As we see COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Michiganders cannot afford to drop our guard. We must take every step possible to save lives, protect the brave men and women on the front lines, and avoid overwhelming our healthcare system while we continue to combat COVID-19,” said Governor Whitmer. “After seeing a resurgence in cases connected to social gatherings across the state, we must further limit gatherings for the health of our community and economy. By taking these strong actions, we will be better positioned to get our children back into classrooms and avoid a potentially devastating second wave.”

The executive order allows casinos in Detroit to reopen on August 5 with 15% capacity limits. Casinos must require patrons to wear a face covering except when eating, drinking or for identification purposes and they have to conduct a daily entry screening protocol for all employees and patrons.