Livingston Today

Michigan Reps. Hank Vaupel (R-Fowlerville) and Ann Bollin (R-Brighton Township) are asking state residents to share their COVID-19 stories on a new website, MI COVID Story. 

The website is designed to allow Michiganders to share their coronavirus struggles and to provide resources to any residents who have concerns, according to a press release from the Michigan House Republicans. 

As a result of the coronavirus, almost 6,000 residents of Michigan have lost their lives, in addition to thousands more being negatively affected by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's executive orders. 

“It’s heartbreaking to hear the challenges families, workers, patients and business owners have had to endure during this difficult time,” Vaupel said on the Michigan House Republicans website. “This resource provides people with an outlet to be heard by the Legislature’s Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic. I urge everyone with a story to take a few short moments to participate.”

Stories from residents will be put into categories based on the subject. Categories residents can choose from when sharing their story include interactions with state agencies, health care, nonessential business directives from executive orders and unemployment benefits, among others.

“Hearing stories from residents about the way our state’s response to the pandemic has affected their lives will help us better understand the problems people are facing so we can move forward with solutions,” Bollin told Michigan House Republicans. “We all must work together to hold state government to a higher standard, so we can deliver better results for the people of our state.”

Michigan's Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic is working in conjunction with MI COVID Story. The bipartisan committee will help give legislative oversight on making decisions to help Whitmer's administration and state departments.