LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said Monday she may soon allow construction to restart in Michigan if coronavirus hospitalizations continue to drop and testing rises.

The governor, who spoke with Politico, will have an afternoon news conference with business and health care leaders to discuss how she is assessing the virus’s risk in different economic sectors.

“I would anticipate in the coming days if our trajectory of hospitalizations continues to go down and our ability to test continues to go up that we will go into the next low-risk category,” she said. “That might include some construction, for instance. That might include some additional outdoor enterprises.”

Whitmer on Friday extended and loosened what she said was among the country’s strictest stay-at-home orders, letting businesses such as lawn-care companies reopen and people with multiple homes again travel between them. The measure is in effect through May 15.

Starting Monday, people had to wear a face covering in enclosed public spaces such as grocery stores. All businesses and operations with in-person workers were required to give them a non-medical grade mask.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel urged police to be lenient on employers that take “good-faith efforts” to secure masks but have trouble because of limited supplies.

Sunday, Whitmer defended the extension of Michigan’s stay-at-home order as the “best weapon to defeat” the coronavirus in a newspaper opinion piece and signed two more executive orders related to the pandemic.

Her comments came as the state reported 41 new deaths for a total of 3,315 statewide. Michigan has had 37,778 COVID-19 cases, including 575 reported Sunday, according to the state.

Whitmer signed an order Sunday to protect consumers, which requires stores to close self-serve prepared food stations such as salad bars and develop a daily screening program for staff, among other things. She also extended another order relaxing medical practice laws to allow physician assistants and nurses to treat COVID-19 patients.

She said Sunday that social distancing is working.

“That is our best weapon to defeat this enemy,” she wrote in The Detroit News. “Every unnecessary trip out of the house, and any unnecessary close contact with people could help spread the virus.”

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or modest symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe life-threatening illness, including pneumonia.