UPDATED – 3/30/2020 9:53 am

Please see the pages to the right for more info. Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The MOA is issuing daily updates via email and updating this page with all that information. Please forward all MOA COVID-19 updates on to your optometric colleagues. If they are not receiving our updates, please inform them that our emails may be going to their spam or junk folders. 

MOA Membership Dues Waived for 2 months - learn more here.

The process to apply for the Small Business Relief Program is currently being developed. Once ready, it will be posted here. Please check back soon for more details. 

Resources for Michigan Businesses During COVID-19

AS OF MARCH 17, 2020 THE CDC STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT ALL OPTOMETRY PRACTICES IN MICHIGAN VOLUNTARILY SUSPEND NON-ESSENTIAL, NON-URGENT OPTOMETRIC CARE.


Highlighting that this is a rapidly changing situation, yesterday evening the CDC has released a recommendation that  ALL routine Dental and Eye Care appointments are postponed. This is a difficult decision that each practitioner needs to make individually. Clinics/offices should take steps to remain available to care for those patients needing urgent and/or essential care.  This will also be a great benefit to local hospital emergency rooms.

On March 14, Governor Whitmer issued this updated order for health care facilities prohibiting the entrance of certain visitors into a health care facility and a requirement for a health evaluation of all individuals that are not under the care of the health care facility. Please read the order carefully. Below is a general summary of the updated order.

Please note, the summary is not in any way intended as legal advice and is not a substitute to reading and implementing the order to the extent applicable. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact your attorney. The order itself does not define "health care facility." M.C.L.A. 331.1103 defines a Health Care Facility in a manner that would include the office of an optometrist. The most conservative interpretation would assume that an optometrist office is a health care facility.

Summary: 

1. Healthcare facilities are prohibited from allowing visitors who are not necessary for the provision of medical services into the facility (unless another allowable exception applies including certain exigent circumstances). 
2. Further, all health care facilities must perform a health evaluation of all individuals that are not under the care of that facility each time the individual enters the facility. Those that do not meet the evaluation criteria must be denied entry.