At the request of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Association of Counties (MAC) is supporting a new statewide public education campaign called “Spread Hope, Not COVID.” The goal of the campaign is to unite all in Michigan to take three simple actions that will contain the spread of the virus at levels that will enable the state to fully reopen — and stay open.

Michigan residents must:

1. Wear a mask or face covering over your mouth and nose to reduce the spread.
   • While masks alone may not always prevent the spread of the disease, scientists, doctors and health experts agree that cloth masks and face coverings can help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by about 70 percent.
   • Masks do not have to be worn all the time. Michiganders are required to wear a face covering whenever you are in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces where you may be in close contact with people outside of your household, or people you do know but have not been with or near recently.
2. Practice physical distancing by staying at least 6 feet from people outside of your household.
   • COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact.
   • A mild illness for one person, could be life-threatening for someone else.
3. Wash and sanitize your hands frequently.
   • Don’t touch your face, nose, mouth and eyes with unwashed hands.
   • This routine practice also prevents the spread of many other viruses and illnesses.

In addition, testing and contract tracing continue to be vitally important towards reopening Michigan. To get tested, call the COVID Hotline at 888-535-6136 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, or visit Michigan.gov/CoronavirusTest, to find testing locations near you and schedule an appointment. If you test positive, help prevent further spread by participating in case investigations and contact tracing with local or state health officials.

“Michigan counties have been on the forefront of the response to COVID-19,” said MAC Executive Director Stephan Currie. “Heroic efforts have been made by countless public servants. All of us in Michigan need to honor and amplify that work by practicing these basic public health measures so the state can beat back the virus and resume the daily activities we need to support our families and communities.”

The “Spread Hope, Not COVID” campaign is aimed at communicating with all Michigan residents through TV, radio, outdoor, digital, social, earned media, and direct communications. The campaign also includes content customized for specific audiences of Michiganders. The campaign’s content is based on extensive research with 2,047 Michigan residents. The campaign is made possible by funding approved by Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress.