The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association said in a press release Nov. 15 that by ordering restaurants and bars to close for in-dining service for three weeks, the governor and state government may increase the number of “super-spreader” COVID-19 events as people meet to socialize in private residences instead.

“We were hopeful that eight months into this pandemic that we could collectively recognize that there is an inherent and insatiable desire for humans to congregate, often over food,” the restaurant lobby association stated in a press release. “Shutting down dine-in service removes the ability to accommodate that natural human desire in a highly regulated, sanitized, capacity-limited and appropriately spaced setting in a restaurant. Instead, it will drive that behavior to innumerable residential social gatherings over the holidays, which have already proven to be super-spreader environments.”

The association pointed to state data that showed in the last two weeks, just five COVID-19 investigations involved a restaurant patron “despite serving millions of Michiganders each day.”

The association reports that 2,000 restaurants have already closed for good in Michigan this year, and it projects more than 6,000 more will close by spring if the state’s latest lockdown is prolonged and federal stimulus funds do not become immediately available.

Home gatherings in Michigan will be limited to individuals from just two households and not more than 10 people, according to a new emergency order issued Sunday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Department of Health & Human Services. The order takes effect on Wednesday. The order is in effect for three weeks.

This means the traditional Thanksgiving gathering of extended families from more than two households will be prohibited this year and violations would be a misdemeanor crime.

Violations of the new order are punishable by a civil fine of up to $1,000 for each occurrence or each day that a violation continues, according to the state of Michigan press release. The press release states a violation of this order is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six months, or a fine of not more than $200.00, or both.

Michigan had 9,179 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 on Nov. 13 and had 7,430 new cases on Nov. 14, according to worldometers.info. Those numbers dwarf the number of new cases back in April. The highest amount of new coronavirus cases that month was 2,118 on April 3.