Whitmer’s State of the State address will be virtual on Jan. 26

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and state House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Clare) announced Monday morning that the 2022 State of the State address again will be virtual and broadcast live on Jan. 26. 

“The State of the State address is a tradition rooted in history. It is an opportunity for Michiganders to hear about the work of state government and see Republicans and Democrats come together to focus on the issues that will put Michigan families, communities, and small businesses first. This year, we’ve agreed that the State of the State address should once again be held remotely to ensure everyone can safely partake in this time-honored event,” Whitmer and Wentworth said in a joint statement.

Whitmer’s 2021 address to the state also was virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s even comes as the omicron variant is spreading quickly across Michigan and the nation.

Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist on Sunday announced he has COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tested negative last week after her husband, Marc Mallory, also contracted the virus. Attorney General Dana Nessel is quarantining as she awaits PCR test results.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reported Friday a total of 1,636,611 COVID-19 cases and 27,822 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic — an additional 40,692 cases since Wednesday.