On Friday July 16, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a COVID-19 pandemic executive order rescinding another executive order, which had been in force for just four days.

The earlier order had imposed a statewide mandate to wear a face mask in any indoor public place and many outdoor public places. Its replacement had a remarkable new provision: It requires businesses to essentially interrogate customers not wearing a mask on whether this was for medical reasons.

The number of executive orders issued by Whitmer has also generated confusion in some police departments. The Sandusky police in Saniloc County even issued a press release on the difficulties caused by so many executive orders having been issued.

“Some of the EO’s [Executive Orders] rescind previous EO’s, and some of the EO’s modify previous EO’s. For local law enforcement, this has become a very confusing issue as to what is enforceable and what is not enforceable," the police stated in a press release.

The department released that statement on July 10. Over the succeeding seven days, Whitmer issued seven additional executive orders.

Thus far, Michigan’s governor has issued 154 executive orders this year. In comparison, residents in Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana have been subjected to a combined 162 executive orders.

Michigan: 154 executive orders; 6,366 COVID-19 deaths

Wisconsin: 53 executive orders; 844 COVID-19 deaths

Illinois: 46 executive orders; 7,488 COVID-19 deaths

Indiana: 36 executive orders; 2,822 COVID-19 deaths

Ohio: 27 executive orders; 3,178 COVID-19 deaths