Michigan governor faces resistance to calls for closures amid COVID-19 surge

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is urging high schools in the state to voluntarily suspend in-person classes, all youth sports games, and indoor dining and gatherings for two weeks as her state leads the nation in COVID-19 cases. But some organizations are pushing back.

"As we take a hard look at the data and observe the spread of the variance, we all need to go above and beyond the rules we already have in place," Whitmer said at a Friday news conference. "We all have to step up our game for the next two weeks to bring down rising cases."  The restrictions, which she stressed are not mandates, come as cases rise across Michigan, making it the country's latest virus epicenter. The state reported 7,834 new COVID-19 cases on Friday.