Michigan’s Diamond Lake Saw People Celebrating July 4 Without Masks, Social Distancing

A large crowd descended on Diamond Lake in Michigan to commemorate the Fourth of July, with many not wearing masks or maintaining social distancing.

A video of people celebrating the United States' Independence Day on Saturday (July 4) in Michigan’s Diamond Lake has since gone viral. The lack of social distancing or masks occurred despite the threat of coronavirus infection spreading over the weekend.

WSBT news station reporter Max Lewis posted a video on Twitter of a big crowd tossing a huge beach ball. “Looks like a recipe for disaster,” he wrote alongside the video he posted. The clip also showed dozens of people roaming around without any face masks.

Some of the visitors were seen going on boating trips while others were loitering at a recreational site in Cassopolis. In another video, uploaded on Instagram, a crowd of young adults were dancing and singing along with a DJ. According to reports, everyone on Diamond Lake was defying social distancing guidelines.

The state of Michigan is the 12th among the top 20 states with the highest number of coronavirus infections. According to WDIV news station, it now has 65,533 cases of confirmed COVID-19 infections, including 5,972 fatalities as of Saturday afternoon.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, as early as April, imposed a mandatory mask policy for those venturing out in public places like grocery stores. While the rule was set to expire June 12, the state issued a new executive order 2020-126, which extends the wearing of protective face coverings in public places at least until July 15.

The state also required stores to allocate two hours each week for shoppers who are considered most vulnerable to coronavirus infection. These include pregnant women, the elderly, and the chronically ill. The order issued by the governor’s office also allowed stores to refuse service to anyone not wearing face coverings. The mandate does not mention any penalty for anyone caught violating the mask policy.

Whitmer also asked Michigan residents to strictly observe social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus. The order, however, is not without opposition. Since May, heavily armed protesters have decried the state’s mandatory mask and stay at home policies. On April 30, gun-toting protesters stormed the State Capitol in Michigan and openly defied the orders imposed by the governor’s office.