Whitmer: turn outdoor lights on Wednesday to honor Covid victims

LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is asking Michiganders to turn on the lights outside their homes for an hour to remember thousands of people who have died from COVID-19.

The remembrance will occur from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, one year after the state first confirmed coronavirus cases.

Michigan has seen more than 16,600 confirmed or probable deaths tied to the disease and more than 658,000 infections — spurred by surges last spring and in the fall and winter.

Whitmer said Monday that turning on porch lights will "remember those we’ve lost and remind ourselves that even in times of darkness, we’re in this together. As we mark this occasion, we also look towards the light at the end of the tunnel."

The authorization of three vaccines will protect people from COVID-19 and help the country and economy return to normal, she said.