Just because doctors, businesses, and retailers can get back to work doesn’t mean Governor Mike DeWine doesn’t want you to stay home. He’s renamed the stay at home order and extended it until the end of the month.
“This is not going to last forever,” he said. “I get it. I know that some of you out there think we aren’t moving fast enough. I know there are some of you out there that think I’m moving too fast. “
Lt. Governor Jon Husted said that the safest place for Ohioans to be was at home. But if you are going out, it is important to follow safety practices like social distancing and wearing a face covering. “Personally, I don’t enjoy wearing a mask. But I’m going to wear a mask. There are a lot of people in my life who are vulnerable.”
Here are the major points from the May 1, COVID-19 update:
Stay Safe Ohio Order Extended to May 29.
The Stay at Home order has been renamed the Stay Safe Ohio Order and extended to 11:59 pm on May 29th.
Governor DeWine said, “We’ve reached a new stage. And that’s good news for everybody.” He encouraged Ohioans to keep up social distancing and wear facial coverings when they are out in public.
He said the goal was to do things “As safely as humanly possible.”
Offices, Industry, and Construction will fully open on Monday, May 4
Retailers will be allowed to open up on May 12th. Some retailers can start today as long as they
- Offer curbside pickup
- Deliver their products
- See customers one at a time by appointment only
DeWine said groups are working on how to best open restaurants, stylists, theaters, arts, sports, childcare, gyms, and other important services.
Also, the Governor said to expect restaurants and salons to open fairly quickly once the best practices for these businesses had been established.
DeWine added, “My fellow Ohioans, we can do two things at once. We can stay safe. We can protect our most vulnerable. We can move people back to work. I need your help.”
Lt. Governor Husted said it’s important to note that most of the economy will be opening back up in May. “We all have to hang in there together for a little bit longer.”
COVID-19 Numbers
Statewide Cases
- Suspected – 18,743
- Confirmed – 17,962
Deaths
- Suspected – 1,002
Confirmed – 922 - Hospitalizations – 2,634
ICU Admissions – 1,056
Scioto County
- 10 Positive
- 1 probable
- 1 hospitalization
Cases in Ohio jumped 716 from the day before. However, that’s largely due to expanded testing.
Dr. Amy Acton said hospitalizations were trending upwards slightly but that most numbers had flattened.
“I know this time continues to be very difficult. It is the uncertainty of something like this virus that makes it an incredibly difficult. We listen. We hear you.”
She said she was confident that Ohio was finding the sweet spot between protecting health and protecting the economy. “We will do this together. We will advance as fast as possible. We will take care of one and other.”
Feel Free To Shop
Governor DeWine said that once retail reopens fully on May 12, Ohioans should feel free to go shopping just because they feel like it.
Additionally, he said they can feel confident that stores will be following best safety practices.
When asked how he could justify keeping the stay at home order in place through May, he said,
“We’re in the midst of pandemic. We know people are hurting. We have to balance public safety. At the same time, we know we want to open things up. The spirit of this is to make sure people have confidence that the business they walk into is safe.”
