North Michigan News

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has consistently evaded the reality of COVID-19, according to a Bridge Michigan op-ed.

The coronavirus pandemic has been a situation of disagreement and confusion since day one, says Matt Friedman, a metro Detroit public relations and crisis communications consultant. “We’re in a political environment right now where people disagree about facts.”

Despite the Republican narrative that Michigan is struggling under the pressures of COVID-19, Whitmer has recently taken a new tack, claiming that the state is doing very well when it comes to the administration of the coronavirus vaccine. 

This incongruence of data has been a trend with Whitmer and others in her administration throughout the crisis. 

Among the most inaccurate claims is when Whitmer stated that Michigan was No. 6 in the nation when it comes to vaccinating residents. She also stated that it was in the top ten, before saying that it was number 11. Despite these claims, Michigan fell well behind 19 other states that had better vaccination rates, according to data from Bridge Michigan.

Yet another unprovable claim was that the administration's COVID-19 business restrictions were responsible for saving 2,800 lives. This statement was made by Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan’s chief medical officer, and Zach Pohl, Whitmer’s deputy chief of staff.

Whitmer also stated in May that rural hospitals in the state were almost at capacity, which was not true. It was also a popular thought for some time that anti-Whitmer protests were responsible for further spreading the virus, which is also considered false by Bridge Michigan. 

Finally, Whitmer’s shutdowns, which were referred to as “punishing” by Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirley (R-Clarklake), harmed a great deal of the state economy. Whitmer denied that the economy had been "closed" recently. Despite her claim, Michigan’s unemployment rate, as of December, was 7.5%, making it the 12th worst in the nation.