Stay at home! Governor Mike DeWine is locking down Ohio, ordering citizens to stay at home and issuing rules for all non-essential businesses to close starting at 11:59 pm on Monday. This comes as Ohio reports 351 cases of COVID-19 in 40 counties. Of those, 83 people are hospitalized. The official number of deaths still stands at three.
Issuing the order, the Governor said, “We have not faced an enemy like we are facing today for 102 years. We are certainly at War. In a time of war, we have to make sacrifices. I have certainly asked the people of Ohio to make sacrifices.”
DeWine did not call the new stay at home rules a lockdown, but said, “This is an order, not a suggestion. I’m not sure what a lockdown means. If everyone cooperates, we’re going to save a lot of lives. Don’t get fixated on our choice of words. There are certainly common-sense excepts. Go to the grocery store, go to the pharmacy, go on a mercy mission. It’s time. We have to do absolutely everything that we can. The lesson of history is time after time is that if you don’t do these things early enough you pay a price. The price is people dying.”
He also announced that Ohio had eased rules on certain a Malaria drug that’s shown promise in treating COVID-19.
Here’s what you need to know about the 4 new Coronavirus rules:
Stay at Home Rule #1 All Ohioans should stay home with these exceptions:
- Leaving home to shop for needed supplies
- Going to essential services
- Work at businesses that have been deemed essential
- Taking care of other people or pets
- Transport others for essential services
- Funerals and weddings
- Outdoor activity – playgrounds will be closed. Maintain social distancing.
- Order lasts until April 6. Will be revisited then.
Stay at Home Rule #2 All but essential businesses closed
- Starts at 11:59 pm on Monday
- Businesses must keep employees 6′ apart
- Businesses must offer hand washing or sanitizer
- Businesses must offer special hours for at-risk customers
- Businesses must post alternatives to coming in person online
- Will be enforced by Police and Health Department
- 2nd-degree misdemeanor to ignore
- Does not affect churches, but they are asked to close.
Stay at Home Rule #3 Critical businesses include:
- Restaurants for carryout and delivery
- Grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies
- Food and agriculture
- Utilities
- Healthcare
- Law enforcement
- Critical manufacturing
- Media
- Transportation
- Agriculture including licensed marijuana growing
- Non-profits that provide social services
- Auto repair shops
- Banks, pawnbrokers, and other financial services
- Hardware and supply stores
- Mail and deliver services
- Supplies needed to work from home
- Home Care services
- Critical manufacturing
- Hotels and Motels
- Minimum basic operations allowed to maintain business
Stay at Home Rule #4 Daycares restricted
- Starts on Thursday
- Only daycares with special temporary Pandemic Licenses can remain open.
- Limit of six children per space
- Limit contact at pick-up and drop-off
- Keep children of parents from common employers together
- Common space discouraged
- Lasts through April 30.