Full Notification

Please view the listed FAQ's which Wayne County Officials have provided to answer any questions related to the latest Mask and Gathering Order in effect through December 8th.

FAQ's for the November 18 Face Masks and Gathering Order

Face masks

Q: How is face mask defined under this order?

A: Face mask means a tightly woven cloth or other multi-layer absorbent material that closely
covers an individual’s mouth and nose. Medical or surgical grade masks are included within this
definition.

Q: May a face shield be worn in place of a face mask?

A: No. The CDC does not recommend the use of face shields as a substitute for cloth face
masks. However, a face shield that covers the eyes, nose and mouth can be worn in addition to a
cloth mask if desired. Moreover, a face shield may be worn by younger children who are not
required to wear a cloth mask, in other settings when a face mask is not required, or by athletes
under certain conditions.

Q: Section 7(d) of this order states that organizations may accept a person’s verbal
representation that they are not wearing a mask because they fall within an excepted
group. Does this mean that schools must accept a verbal statement and cannot require a
doctor’s note for people who request a mask exemption in a school?

A: No. Consistent with the Return to School guidance, schools are permitted (and in fact
recommended) to require a doctor’s note for persons seeking an exemption from the face masks
requirement.

Q: Are masks required at all times within gyms and indoor exercise facilities?

A: Yes.


Gathering sizes and capacity limits

Q: What does “indoors” mean for the purposes of this order?

A: “Indoors” means within a space enclosed fully or partially on the top, and enclosed fully or
partially on more than one side. Indoor spaces therefore include most buildings (such as barns
and garages), vehicles (such as buses and trains), and temporary structures (including tents or
canopies with side walls or coverings, unless open on three sides).

Q: What forms of dining at food service establishments are permitted under the order?

Outdoor dining at a food service establishment is permitted provided persons are seated no more
than 6 to a table and tables are spaced at least 6 feet apart. A permitted outdoor food service

establishment setting also includes a single household dining inside an igloo, hut, or other small,
enclosed space, provided that employees enter fleetingly or not at all. Representatives of food
service establishments wishing to explore options like these should ensure compliance with any
applicable local regulations.

Indoor dining is permitted only in custodial settings, medical facilities, school and university
cafeterias, shelters, and soup kitchens. In those settings, if diner s are seated at tables the diners
must be 6 feet apart, or members of a household may share a table and tables must be spaced a
minimum of 6 feet apart.

Q: What does “fixed seating” mean?

A: Fixed seating is seating that is attached to the floor, such as bleachers, auditorium risers,
stadium seats, or restaurant booths.

Q: What workers are still allowed or required to work in person?

A: Work should be completed remotely unless attendance is strictly required to perform job
duties. See MDHHS’s Nov. 5 Guidance for Employers and the emergency rules enacted by
the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity on Oct. 14.

Q: Are local government offices still permitted to be open to the public?

A: Yes.

Q: Are public meetings or board meetings permitted under this order?

A: In-person meetings are prohibited unless the meeting is of fewer than 25 people and is held
outdoors. Under Public Act 228 of 2020, public meetings may be held virtually under certain
specified circumstances.

Q: Are visits between foster children and their birth parents, supervised by a caseworker,
permitted under the order?

A: Yes. Parents have a legal right under the probate code to have parenting time with their
children at least every 7 days. This has traditionally meant in person contact unless infeasible or
a court order prohibits it. Under the order, these in-person visits remain permitted at this time,
supervised by a caseworker.

Q: Are direct care workers who provide in-home services (such as those who assist elderly
or disabled residents with activities of daily living) permitted to continue serving clients in
their homes?

A: Yes. This includes individual caretakers and multi-person care teams.

Q: Are airport restaurants open for dining?

A: No, airport restaurants may sell food for takeaway.

Q: May religious venues host other gatherings such as a bake sale, craft fair, public lecture,
or youth group?

A: Places of worship allowing religious worship, and persons engaging in religious worship in
such places, are exempt from enforcement of the order. However, places of worship used for all
other purposes are subject to the order’s mask, gathering requirements, and capacity limits.

Q: Are religious schools exempt from the gathering rules, mask requirements, or capacity
limits in this order?

A: No, these requirements apply to religious schools, except that there would be no penalty
applied for students or staff engaging in religious worship at a place of religious worship.

Q: Are religious high schools permitted to remain open for in-person learning or athletics?

A: No, except that they may be open for religious worship services, or for other purposes than in-
person education, such as providing a location for staff or students who do not have reliable
internet or computers to engage in remote learning, to distribute meals, or to provide medical
care at a school based health clinic. Religious high schools are not permitted to be open for
extracurricular activities or athletics.

Q: May workplaces, community centers, or other venues continue to host blood drives
under this order?

A: Yes.

Q: Are dance classes, gymnastics, yoga, and other group fitness classes permitted to
operate?

A: No.

Q: Can organizations hold CPR classes?

A: Yes, first responder training is permitted to continue in person.

Q: May ski facilities operate?

A: Yes, outdoor skiing areas are permitted to remain open (except for practice or competition by
organized ski teams, which are not permitted to gather). Distancing measures, such as closing off
seats on ski lifts, is encouraged. Gathering is not allowed in indoor facilities such as lodges and
restaurants.

Q: Are outdoor skating rinks open? Are indoor or outdoor rinks permitted to stay open for
individual exercise or a single athlete with a coach?

A: No, all rinks, including outdoor rinks, are closed.

Q: Are in-person jury trials allowed?

A: Yes, the order does not prohibit in-person jury trials; the decision on how to conduct judicial
hearings is left to the discretion of the court. Physical distancing and masking are strongly
encouraged.

Q: Are non-contact competitive sports allowed to continue without meeting the 6-day per
week testing requirements and other elements of the MDHHS guidance on Additional
Measures for Safer Athletic Practice and Play?

A: No. Any athletics that would like to continue must comply with the enhanced testing regimen
and infection control guidelines on page 4.


Schools and universities

Q: Are high schools still permitted to be open for purposes other than in-person
instruction?

A: Yes, high schools (grades 9 through12) may remain open for purposes such as providing a
location for staff or students who do not have reliable internet or computers to engage in remote
learning, to distribute meals, or to provide medical care at a school-based health clinic. High
schools are not permitted to be open for extracurricular activities or athletics.

Q: Are elementary and middle schools still permitted to be open for purposes other than
in-person instruction?

A: Yes, elementary and middle schools (preschool through grade 8) may also offer childcare
services, including daycare for children before or after school hours, as well as community
support services such as meal distribution or medical care at a school-based health clinic. They
may not host athletics or extracurricular programs.

Q: Are college and university students permitted to work in medical or scientific labs, or
other on-campus jobs?

A: Yes, students may work in facilities such as hospitals, labs, libraries, dining halls, or other
workplaces that are open under MIOSHA’s October 14, 2020 rule.

Q: May community centers offer in-person tutoring services under this order?

A: Yes, for children in preschool through grade 8, or for children in grades 9-12 if providing
wraparound services such as food or internet access or serving youth with disabilities or who are
English Language Learners.


Other questions

Q: What does public transit mean?

A: Public transit includes buses, trains, subways, light rail, or vans operated by a state or local
government or contracted by a state or local government to provide transportation services for
the general public. It does not include tour buses or private shuttles. Riders on public transit are
required to wear face masks at all times, and to physically distance from other riders to the extent
possible.

Q: Are nursing and dental included within “medical personnel” for the purposes of section
2(c)(5) and “medical services” for the purpose of section 8(f)?

Yes.