YPSILANTI, MI - The Washtenaw County Health Department is issuing emergency orders requiring essential service providers and businesses, including childcare centers, to use recommended screening and social distancing to protect everyone’s health to the greatest degree possible.

Only those operations deemed critical under the Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home Stay Safe” order or directly serving essential workers remain open during the COVID-19 crisis.

The order takes effect at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 26, and requires all essential services and businesses to take these actions to protect their workers and the entire community:

Screen everyone. Check employees for fever or other symptoms if they enter facilities or buildings.

Maintain six feet of distance between people whenever possible.

Emphasize frequent and proper hand washing. Make sure sinks are well supplied.

Work remotely whenever possible.

Do not share space or equipment. If this is not possible, have employees wash their hands before and after using shared equipment. Clean and sanitize equipment between uses.

Any employee with cold symptoms or underlying health conditions should stay home or work remotely.

The orders must be posted at facility entrances. There is an order for businesses and entities remaining open, as well as a separate order for childcare centers remaining open.

“We are at a very critical point in our COVID-19 response,” Jimena Loveluck, Washtenaw County health officer, said in a news release. “We need to work together to provide only those services and functions that are absolutely necessary and do so as safely as possible. We must limit the potential spread of illness at every single opportunity. No exceptions. This means screening, distance and extra cleaning at any open facility. For everyone else, we’re counting on you to stay home.”

The Health Department is working to provide guidance and support as quickly as possible. This document is available and can answer many initial questions: Managing COVID-19 in the Workplace. Direct additional and urgent questions to 734-544-6700 or l-wchdcontact@washtenaw.org.

The orders are being put in place to protect the health and safety of these workers and our whole community, Loveluck said.

“We cannot do this without each other, and we cannot do this without taking every opportunity to limit the spread of illness,” Loveluck said. “People are working tirelessly across our community to help others. These orders are necessary to protect them to the greatest degree possible.”

The novel coronavirus has made 73 county residents ill and hospitalized 17, Wednesday’s data show. That is an additional 22 confirmed cases since Tuesday and another 7 hospitalizations, the health department announced.

Read all of MLive’s coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

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