(WWJ) -- It appears that Michiganders will be mask-free sooner than expected.
The Center for Disease Control made waves on Thursday when it issued a new order that eased mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to stop wearing masks in many indoor and outdoor settings.
“If you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask," President Joe Biden said in a statement from the White House Rose Garden. “Get vaccinated — or wear a mask until you do.”
As of Friday morning, officials at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have also announced plans to lift the state's mask requirement.
That means that fully vaccinated residents no longer need to mask up before attending indoor public gatherings.
Additionally, residents attending outdoor gatherings will no longer need to wear a mask, regardless of their vaccination status.
The new order from the MDHHS will go into effect on Saturday, May 15 at 9 a.m.
Initially, Governor Gretchen Whitmer had announced that the state's mask mandate would be lifted once 70% of all adults ages 16 and up had received at least one dose of the vaccine.
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Michigan hit its first goal of Whitmer’s ‘Vacc to Normal’ plan earlier this week, with 55% of Michigan adults becoming vaccinated.
In response, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to allow all workers to return to in-person work at offices and workplaces on May 24.
The next benchmark of the plan is at 60%. Two weeks after that point, Michigan will lift the 11 p.m. curfew on bars and restaurants, and loosen capacity restrictions at gyms and exercise facilities, sports stadiums, banquet halls, conference centers and funeral homes.
Officials say 40% of all Michigan adults and 70% of seniors are fully vaccinated.
"Every day we're getting closer to putting this pandemic behind us. The way to get there is to vaccinate as many Michiganders who are eligible as quickly as possible," Whitmer said.