An Ohio toddler has been hospitalized with Coronavirus as the state shuts down salons, spas, and the BMV and the Feds stop all evictions and foreclosures.
The two-year-old is one of 88 Ohioans to test positive for COVID-19. They range in age from 2 to 91. The median age of patients is 48. In light of the growing Coronavirus pandemic, Governor Mike DeWine is ordering all salons, barbershops, spas, and tattoo parlors to shut down at the end of business today.
Lt. Governor Jon Husted said this decision was made after consulting with business owners to fight the spread of Coronavirus. All retail, manufacturing, and service businesses are being asked to take the temperatures of every employee on a daily basis before allowing them to work. Businesses are also asked to be extremely aggressive when it comes to cleaning work surfaces.
The state is also shutting down all but five Bureau of Motor Vehicles locations. Those locations will remain open to issue or renew CDL permits to keep food and other supplies needed to fight Coronavirus moving. DeWine said that other BMV operations will be moved online or put on pause. Those who cannot renew their driver’s licenses will be given a grace period and troopers will be ordered not to write tickets for expired licenses that could not be renewed during the shutdown.
DeWine is not ordering libraries to close but did ask that they practice social distancing and consider offering options like curbside service. Some libraries, including the Portsmouth Public Library, have chosen to temporarily close their doors to help slow the spread of Coronavirus.
The Governor also addressed rumors about activating the Ohio National Guard. National Guard. “It seems that there cannot go by a day that I don’t get a call about some National Guard rumor. When the National Guard is going to do something, you will know about.it.” He said that the Guard will be performing some civilian tasks such as assisting hospitals in putting up triage tents for Coronavirus patients and assisting food banks in delivering goods.
On a national level, the Department of Housing has ordered a stop to all foreclosures and evictions until the end of April. The White House also invoked the Defense Production Act which gives the government the ability to increase the production of medical equipment and expand hospital capacity.