LANSING – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday extended the state's "stay home" order until May 1.

The order, originally handed down March 23, was initially in effect only through April 13.

Whitmer announced Thursday she is extending it through April 30, meaning it will expire on May 1.

The extended order is also expanded, imposing more stringent limitations on stores to reduce foot traffic, slow the spread of the coronavirus and save lives, Whitmer said.

The new order bans travel "between two residences" after Friday, meaning Michiganders will no longer be legally permitted to get in the car or even cross the street to visit friends and neighbors, unless it is covered by a few exceptions, including caring for a person or animal in need.

“Michigan has the third highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, and we’re still on the upswing," Whitmer said. "We must continue to do everything we can to slow the spread and protect our families. Data shows that most Michiganders are doing their part by staying home and staying safe. That’s good, but we must keep it up."

A new section of the order imposes restrictions on stores in an effort to reduce crowds. Large stores must limit the number of people in the store at one time to no more than four customers for every 1,000 square feet of customer floor space. Small stores must limit capacity to 25% of the total occupancy limits, including employees, under fire codes.

Stores must establish lines with markings for patrons to enable them to stand at least 6 feet apart from one another while waiting. Large stores must also close areas of the store that are dedicated to carpeting, flooring, furniture, garden centers, plant nurseries or paint, the order says.

Whitmer's action came as Michigan deaths related to coronavirus topped 1,000 on Thursday. The order followed the Legislature's Tuesday resolution extending the state's emergency declaration — which gives the governor the power through at least April 30 to issue and extend a range of emergency orders, including the stay home order.

But it also comes as many Republicans and some business groups are calling on Whitmer to ease some restrictions amid a crashed state and national economy and allow businesses that can safely get back to work to do so, even if they are not deemed essential.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, called on Whitmer on Thursday to revise the order so that it can be enforced less stringently in areas of the state where the virus is not widespread.

The stay home order directs residents to stay home, except for essential purposes, and directs nonessential businesses to stop asking employees to report to work. Violators face a civil fine of up to $1,000, among other possible penalties.

The order, while sweeping, has many exceptions, including shopping for food and medicine, getting exercise and walking a pet. In addition to grocers, pharmacies and hospitals, businesses deemed "critical infrastructure" include gas stations, car repair shops, dollar stores, even big box home improvement retailers and liquor stores.

In justifying the order, similar to those handed down before and since in many other states, Whitmer, a Democrat, cited a shortage of testing equipment and capacity. In the absence of knowing through testing who does and who does not have the virus, Michigan's best defense is to keep everyone apart as much as possible, she said.

“This doesn’t mean everything will go back to normal on May 1,” Whitmer said. “But based on the data we have right now, this is the appropriate window for an extension."

The extension was expected. Michigan's actions have tended to track closely with those in other Midwest states, especially Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, on April 2 extended his state's "stay home" order through May 1.

Even President Donald Trump, who had earlier said he expected things could be returning to normal by Easter, which is Sunday, recently extended federal social distancing guidelines through the end of April. On Wednesday, Trump's administration issued new guidelines to make it easier for essential workers exposed to COVID-19 to get back to work if they show no symptoms of the coronavirus.

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In a news release, Shirkey said Senate Republicans believe a "strategic application" of the stay home order is now needed.

Individuals living in regions of the state that are experiencing little to no growth in infection rates should be able to return to their jobs to support their families if proper safety protocols are put in place, Shirkey said. Similarly, businesses that can implement strict health and safety measures should be able to remain open, regardless of whether they are deemed essential, he said.

"Gov. Whitmer’s decision to extend the order for another three weeks without commonsense revisions will unnecessarily hurt regions of our state and sectors of our economy that can operate safely," Shirkey said. "After an initial three weeks of extraordinary restrictions on their freedoms and their livelihoods, our citizens have earned our trust and our faith in their ability to be an active part of keeping Michigan healthy and safe.”

But Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan's chief medical executive, said now is no time to let up on the order.

"If we loosen up too soon, more people will die, and hospitals will become overwhelmed," Khaldun said at a Thursday news conference with Whitmer.

The governor said "every exception we make makes it more porous and less likely to be successful."

The virus knows no borders and the order must be statewide, just as it should be nationwide, she said. And hospitals in outlying areas do not have the capacity to handle a surge in cases if that should happen, she said.

As for exempting more activities and businesses, that, too, would be a mistake, Whitmer said. Taking the example of golf, Whitmer said going to a golf course puts others at risk because someone must show up to staff the course or take money.

"For your recreation ... we're exposing (others) to COVID-19, as well as the golfer," she said.

Michigan faces two crises, Whitmer said. One is a health crisis, and the other is economic. "If we don't get the health crisis under control, the economic crisis will go on and on."

But state Rep. Jim Lower, R-Greenville, criticized the extended order, and especially the fact that Whitmer added new restrictions on some retail stores.

“As it stands now, stricter-than-average guidelines in our state are showing to have little impact on the number of cases," Lower said. "We have the third most cases of any state."

The data does show that those strict guidelines "are having a massive impact on the ability for people to make a living and support themselves," he said. "People deserve more attention to detail, not more draconian measures. Blocking off sections of stores is basically nonsense and will not help reduce the spread of the virus."

There has been some dispute between Whitmer and Republican legislative leaders about the duration of her emergency declarations, which include a Michigan disaster declaration Whitmer made on April 1.

Under the Emergency Management Act, the Legislature must vote to extend an emergency declaration after 28 days. Whitmer took the position that her April 1 disaster declaration started a new 28-day clock running and pushed back the requirement for an extension by the Legislature. Republican leaders rejected Whitmer's interpretation of the law, saying the disaster declaration was merely an expansion of the emergency declaration made on March 10, and it was subject to the same 28-day duration.

Further complicating the picture is the fact Whitmer can also exercise emergency powers under the Emergency Power of Governor Act, which gives her narrower powers but has no time limit that requires her to seek legislative approval.

The Detroit Police Department and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office have been issuing warnings and citations to groups of people and businesses who have been violating the stay at home order.

Over the past weekend, the Detroit Police Department checked 792 locations for violations and gave 369 warnings. It also issued 74 citations, engaged two noncompliant businesses and broke up nine parties.

The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office has received about a dozen complaints of violations and has issued several warnings.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, which covers 13 communities in Oakland, is getting about 14 calls a day and 80% of them are unfounded, said Undersheriff Mike McCabe.

The rest receive a warning and come into compliance, he said. He cited an example of one neighbor calling about a person doing yard work next door and it turned out to be the homeowner.

The department has received a number of complaints about golfers hitting balls at courses around the county and ordered the Edgewood Country Club in Commerce Township to shoo golfers off the course on Tuesday.

Other complaints have come in from people in communities that are located on golf courses, but those have been more difficult to enforce, McCabe said, because neighborhood people are also taking advantage of the nice weather to talk take walks on those courses and that’s not considered a violation.

Chief Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Paul Walton said enforcement is only going to get tougher as the days turn warmer and cooped up Michiganders become desperate for some fresh air.

“It’s only going to be worse this week, everyone wants to be out doing something,” he said. “I was out running on the Paint Creek Trail (which runs between Rochester and Lake Orion) and it was like a fricking highway.”

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.