Capitol News

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently declared that lockdowns are preserving lives, but new research says differently, according to Michigan Capitol Confidential.

As the COVID-19 crisis pushes on, Whitmer has maintained that her techniques have reduced the number of coronavirus-related deaths in Michigan.

“The backlash that we’re getting is because we’ve gone to make sure that every measure is about saving people’s lives," Whitmer told CBS Detroit. "And we have largely had a lot of success. COVID-19 is still a very real threat.”

However, Michigan Capitol Confidential published an infographic showing that on April 9 -- after Whitmer prevented stores from selling carpet, paint and plants, among many other things -- coronavirus cases spiked significantly in Michigan.

Meanwhile, when she lifted those restrictions on April 24, the case numbers started going down. That is just one instance of how her restrictions may or may not have impacted the number of cases reported across the state.

In October, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued a mask order requiring everyone to wear masks indoors or in places where they cannot social-distance. After that, the death toll rose astronomically. Then, on December 9, when some of the mandates were lifted, the number of deaths from the COVID-19 began to decrease, according to Michigan Daily COVID Deaths and Policy Actions.