Michigan restaurants have rebelled against the coronavirus shutdown orders by allowing indoor dining. Many have called the virus politicized and leaders untrustworthy.
“I don’t think it’s as bad as they’re saying it is,” diner owner David Koloski said, the Washington Post reports. “The whole thing with the coronavirus is political. I think [Democrats] are dug in and unwilling to move on this.”
Jimmy’s Roadhouse, All Star Coney Island and Sunrise Family Diner are some of the restaurants operating at full capacity. Small businesses continue to weigh the risks of permanent closure with that of spreading COVID-19.
Stand Up Michigan has been launched in defiance to coronavirus orders and it is keeping track of restaurants that are opening unlawfully. On the day of the Capitol breach, dozens of restaurateurs across Michigan protested the strict dining orders.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has received a lot of criticism for her rules which include her recent announcement of in-door dining at 25 percent capacity. Business owners feel this is not enough and they might close shop either way.
Randall Scot, owner of OSKAR Scots restaurant in Caledonia declared that he will remain open despite receiving two cease-and-desist orders.
“I have the right to not be deprived of my life, liberty or property without due process of law. I have fantastic representation and will fight if I have to. I am STANDING UP," Scot said via a text message to The Washington Post.
With hospitals at 90 percent capacity, one would expect residents to take the virus seriously but in restaurants, people are seen without masks and in close range to each other.
Sparrow Hospital President Alan Vierling expressed his distaste over the defiance, adding that unlike other ailments, the survival of the pandemic was dependent on one's decision.
"You see that, and you know that there’s a percentage of these folks, once they get Covid, some of them will die. And it doesn’t have to be that way,” said Vierling, a registered nurse, as reported by the Washington Post. “This isn’t like getting leukemia, where you can do everything right and get leukemia and die. With this, you have a choice.”
Whitmer has called on the wearing of masks and hand sanitizing as a way of reducing the spread. Hospitals are failing to contain the numbers, with cases where a hospital like Sparrow has five to 10 ICU beds against a demand of 30 to 40 patients.
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