Michigan Senate approves up to $25M to fight coronavirus

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Senate on Thursday approved spending up to $25 million to combat the new coronavirus, and some K-12 schools began announcing temporary closures to train staff in case districts end face-to-face instruction and move to online learning.

The supplemental budget bill, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will sign once the House concurs with minor changes, will allocate $10 million to state agencies for preparedness and response to COVID-19. The funding may cover monitoring, lab testing, contact tracing and infection control.

An additional $15 million will be set aside in a new coronavirus response fund and can be appropriated later.

At least three school districts in Oakland County in suburban Detroit — Rochester, West Bloomfield and Birmingham - have briefly closed or have said they will close to prepare teachers to potentially transition to virtual teaching.

All of Michigan's 15 public universities said Wednesday they were shifting to online classes or other methods for a few weeks or longer.