Michigan and Indiana, two neighboring Midwestern states, are taking different paths toward re-opening their economies. This report compares these paths for two businesses that have been devastated by the COVID lockdown, restaurants, and personal services (air salons, barbershops, nail salons, spas, and tattoo parlors).

Often criticized for her draconian lockdown, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) is slow-walking the re-opening of restaurants and personal services. Whitmer has given no clear indication of when these establishments will gain her blessing to open.

Indiana Back On Track

On the other hand, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (R), has published his plan weeks ago. Under his Back On Track Indiana plan, restaurants and personal service establishments, in 89 out of 92 counties, were allowed to open one week after the initiation of Phase 2 of his plan. With Phase 2 beginning on May 4, 2020, this meant that restaurants and personal services opened on May 11.

To open businesses must comply with some conditions such as social distancing and employee screening. Here are some requirements from Back OnTrack:

• Personal services, such as hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, spas, and tattoo parlors. By appointment only with operational limitations. Employees must wear face coverings, work stations must be spaced to meet social distancing guidelines, and other requirements must be met. Customers should wear face coverings to the extent possible
• Restaurants and bars that serve food may open at 50% capacity with operational limitations. Bar seating will be closed with no live entertainment. Servers and kitchen staff must wear face coverings.

A complete list of requirements can be found at https://backontrack.in.gov/files/BackOnTrack-IN_WhatsOpen-Closed-stage2.pdf.

While Stage 2 of Back On Track laid out requirements for personal services and restaurants, the plan also laid out requirements for geographic areas. Holcomb’s plan allowed all but three counties to enter into Stage 2 on May 4^th. This meant that 96.4% of Indiana’s total square miles is moving forward with re-opening.

This excerpt from Back On Track shows Holcomb’s plan for re-opening for business in all Indiana counties.

• Beginning May 4^th Stage 2 may begin for all Indiana counties except Cass, Lake, and Marion Counties.
• Stage 2 may begin on May 11 for Lake and Marion Counties
• Stage 2 may begin on May 18 for Cass County
• Please note that local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines
• County and local governments will make decisions based on their policies and CDC guidelines

A detailed look at the three delayed counties showed that Lake and Marion counties are the two most highly populated counties. While Cass County is home to a Tyson meatpacking plant that experienced over 1000 COVID cases.

Indiana provides for local control

It was refreshing to see that Governor Holcomb’s Back On Track plan allowed for some degree of local control. Counties that were ready to move forward were allowed to do so, while counties still having COVID issues were delayed from re-opening. Plus, Holcomb allowed county and local governments to make decisions based on their policies and CDC guidelines.

Holcomb’s rational plan is the polar opposite of Governor Whitmer’s one-size-fits-all-don’t-open-any-barber-or-restaurant-plan.

Follow the COVID Data

An analysis of COVID cases was performed on the 89 Indiana counties which entered Phase 2 on May 4. Just as has been done in prior reports, the number of COVID cases is presented as the number of COVID cases per one million population. Indiana’s open counties had an average of 2756 COVID cases. The lowest of these 89 counties has 236 cases while the highest had 8272.

If Indiana is able to open up restaurants and personal services in counties with up to 8272 COVID cases per million, why can’t Michigan? Using 8272 cases per million as a benchmark would enable all but one Region in Michigan to open its restaurants and personal services businesses. Only Emergency Preparedness Region 2S (Wayne, Washtenaw, Monroe counties) would be delayed in opening up for business. A table with a complete set of COVID data is included at the end of his article.

As for Livingston County . . .  With its COVID rate of 1987 cases per million, Livingston County, Indiana would clearly be open for business. However, in real life, Livingston County, Michigan is closed for business as a Democrat Governor auditions for the role of Biden VP. Uh-huh, the only science Whitmer follows is political science.

When it comes to restaurants and personal services, the contrast between Indiana and Michigan is stunning. Indiana is open for business, Michigan is closed. Governor Holcomb examines the data and sees hope and opportunity for citizens, Governor examines that data and sees power and political ambition for herself.

While Holcomb is putting Indiana Back On Track, Whitmer is driving Michigan Off The Rails.

Reference Material

Michigan vs. Indiana Comparison

• Indiana has 92 counties, Michigan has 83
• Indiana population in 2018 was 6.695 million, 36,418 sq. mi of land, 183.84 persons/sq. mi.
• Michigan population in 2018 was 9.996 million, 56,538.84 sq. mi of land., 176.58 persons/sq. mi.

Indiana Back On Track Plan
https://backontrack.in.gov/files/BackOnTrack-IN_WhatsOpen-Closed-stage2.pdf

Indiana COVID statistics
https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm

Indiana Population density
http://www.usa.com/rank/indiana-state--population-density--county-rank.htm

Indiana county square miles
http://www.usa.com/rank/indiana-state--land-area--county-rank.htm

Cass County – Tyson Meatpacking Plant with 1000+ COVID cases
https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/1,000+-cases-and-one-hospital-cass-county-braces-for-even-more-covid-cases.php Tyson Meatpacking Plant has 1000+ May 1, 2020

Michigan COVID data
https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98163_98173_99207---,00.html

Indiana County Map (yellow counties were not included in Phase 2, May 4th start)