Science Is Uncertain On COVID-19

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has offered various rationales in support of her coronavirus epidemic stay-at-home orders. In one instance she pointed to touching surfaces as one way the COVID-19 virus spreads, and that doing so has exposed “people to risk, serious risk.”

"Every time you ask a low income person to come out and fill up their gas tanks, go get food. It’s additional opportunity for exposure and for spread. And that’s what happens,” Whitmer said in an April 9 press conference.

In an April 21 New York Times op-ed, Whitmer wrote, "Each action has been informed by the best science and epidemiology counsel there is."

The Centers For Disease Control is saying that the science is still unsettled.

The CDC has posted a “How COVID-19 Spreads” document that includes this:

• "The virus does not spread easily in other ways -

  COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning about how it spreads. It may be possible for COVID-19 to spread in other ways, but these are not thought to be the main ways the virus spreads:

• From touching surfaces or objects. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but we are still learning more about this virus."