Governors of seven Midwestern states announced (Thursday) that they will coordinate on reopening their state economies amid the coronavirus pandemic after similar pacts were made in the Northeast and on the West Coast.

Governors Eric J. Holcomb (IN), Gretchen Whitmer (MI), Mike DeWine (OH), Tony Evers (WI), Tim Walz (MN), JB Pritzker (IL), and Andy Beshear (KY) announced that they will work in close coordination to reopen the economy in the Midwest region.

“Today, we are announcing that Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky will work in close coordination to reopen our economies in a way that prioritizes our workers’ health. We look forward to working with experts and taking a fact-based, data-driven approach to reopening our economy in a way that protect families from the spread of COVID-19.,” the governors said. “Our number one priority when analyzing when best to reopen our economy is the health and safety of our citizens. We will make decisions based on facts, science, and recommendations from experts in health care, business, labor, and education.”

The Midwestern alliance joins pacts on the West Coast and in the Northeast that were announced this week. All together, the 17 states covered by the partnerships are home to nearly half of the country's population.

94.1 WGFA