It's unclear how a new variant of the coronavirus might change Michigan's public health response to the pandemic.
The more contagious variant was first detected in Michigan last Saturday, in a patient from Washtenaw County.
Meanwhile, the state health department reports that Michigan’s COVID case rate continues to plateau.
Health department director Robert Gordon says there are no current plans to alter Michigan’s public health response in light of the new variant.
"There’s no cookbook for identifying when to move. But I will say, obviously we are very concerned about the variant, and so we will be observing trends as we move forward."
He says current epidemiological trends mean the state still plans to allow indoor dining to reopen on February 1st.