HANCOCK — In response to escalating positive tests confirming COVID-19 across the state, including the Upper Peninsula, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a shelter-in-place executive order on Monday, March 23, to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

Under the governor’s order, people can only leave their homes under very limited circumstances. They must also adhere strictly to social distance measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“This is the only tool we have to fight it at the moment and support our health care system to respond is to give them the opportunity to respond,” said Whitmer during a press conference. “The disease can’t spread person-to-person if we’re not out there.”

Some local stores, however, report that there are people who are simply disobeying the governor’s executive orders. A grocery store in Hancock is just one example

Heather Aro, store manager at Pat’s Foods in Hancock, said that there are people who come into the store and purchase one or two items.

“People need to take the ‘Stay home, stay safe’ (shelter-in-place) order seriously,” she said. “Too many people are just ignoring it.”

Among reports and rumors that people from downstate and out-of-state are coming to the area in large numbers, saying they are fleeing COVID-19 in their home areas, Sgt. Russell Larson of the Michigan State Police Calumet Post, said he cannot confirm that.

“I can’t confirm that there is an inordinate number of out-of-towners in the area,” said Larson, “I can’t confirm or deny it, I just don’t have any information in that regard.”

In reference to people not complying with the shelter-in-place order, Larson said his post has received no calls of people violating it, but did say there are, although very few, calls from people questioning whether a business should be open.

“I haven’t had anybody report to me that social distance isn’t happening when people are out in public,” he said, “but I can’t speak for any other agency in the area, but I haven’t had that particular complaint of anyone who’s out and about, being too close together.”

Larson said that from talking with the troopers, he does know that traffic has been extremely light, and his own experience, driving to and from work, traffic is noticeably lighter.

“That’s just anecdotal in nature,” he said, “but I’ve had a couple of calls about particular businesses, wondering if they qualify as being essential services, and generally, they have been.”