Whitmer Orders Flags to Half-Staff on Wednesday

It's hard to believe that Wednesday (3/10) marks the one year anniversary of Michigan's first confirmed COVID-19 cases. It was on March 10, 2020, that the first two cases were reported.

To mark the anniversary of the state’s first confirmed COVID-19 cases, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered flags to fly at half-staff across Michigan.

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According to ABC 12, Whitmer issued a proclamation mourning the nearly 16,000 Michiganders who died of COVID-19 over the past year. The flag order coincides with the governor’s request for residents statewide to turn on their outside lights from 8 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in remembrance of COVID-19 victims.

Gov. Whitmer:

One year ago, our world changed forever as we confronted the greatest challenge of our generation. By lowering the flags to honor the one-year anniversary of the virus’s confirmed presence in Michigan, we remember the nearly 16,000 sons and daughters, moms and dads, and neighbors and friends who passed away from COVID-19 in Michigan.

Flags should remain at half-staff in Michigan through March 20.

Regardless of how you feel about Gov. Whitmer, this isn't about her. This is about the victims (and survivors) of a world crisis and how our state forever changed on that day.

16 days (March 26, 2020) after the first cases were reported in Michigan, the state was sitting at 2,856 cases of Covid-19. That very same day, Genesee County reported it's first death due to the COVID-19. From that point on, things only got worse.

Even though we're seeing a light at the end of the tunnel thanks to the multiple vaccines that are currently available, I never thought we'd be where we are a full year later.