Ohio – Coronavirus State Actions

This page lists select actions through 31 July 2020 as Governors responded to the novel coronavirus. It is not intended to be exhaustive but is meant to highlight key actions and resources that may inform other states and territories. A full archive of NGA COVID-19 related material can be found here.

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• Ohio Department of Health coronavirus resource page.

• February 27, 2020—Governor DeWine ordered the following action by state agencies:
   
  • The Ohio Department of Transportation will post information from the Ohio Department of Health in all state rest areas on hand washing protocols including messages on Ohio Travel TV. 
  • The Departments of Rehabilitation and Corrections and Youth Services will increase frequency and use of disinfectant measures in all their state facilities to protect inmates, families, and staff. 
  • The Governor called on Ohio college and university leaders to urge every student and faculty member on their campuses who have not yet received a shot to get one at their health clinic immediately.  
  • The Governor is asking our college and university leaders to prohibit college travel to nations where the CDC has recommended no travel, such as China and South Korea.  
  • The Governor is asking college and universities to take appropriate action to accommodate students who are studying abroad and may need to come back to the United States.  
  • The Governor is asking the Ohio Department of Aging to continue working with local aging networks to identify the most vulnerable older adults with the highest needs to make sure that plans are in place to meet their needs – whether that is providing additional meals or additional medication or other personal care needs. 
  • The Governor is asking local aging advocates across Ohio to go out into their communities to check on nursing care facilities to ensure that all illness prevention methods are in place.   
  • The State of Ohio will also be paying aggressive attention to common areas in state-owned buildings, including significantly increased cleaning frequency of these areas and hand sanitizer stations in common lobbies and hallways. 

• March 10, 2020—Governor DeWine issued a recommendation on limiting large indoor gatherings. 
• March 12, 2020—Governor DeWine announced that all schools will be closed for three weeks beginning on Monday, March 16.
• March 15, 2020- The Governor ordered all Ohio bars and restaurants to close, with only take-out and delivery options available.
• March 16, 2020- The Governor issued an order regarding the closure of all polling locations on March 17.

• March 17, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services implemented emergency measures to ensure communities have access to childcare.
• March 18, 2020 – The Governor authorized the Ohio National Guard to assist state and local governments execute laws and respond to state emergencies, such as distributing food and supplies.
• March 19, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order expanding access to health care services through telemedicine for Medicaid beneficiaries.

• March 20, 2020 – The Governor ordered all senior living centers to stop providing adult day care services in congregate care settings.
• March 20, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Insurance issued an order for insurers to allow employers to offer employees a grace period (up to 60 calendar days from original premium due date) for insurance premiums.
• March 20, 2020 – The Governor announced that adult day services for individuals with developmental disabilities will be ordered to close, with the exceptions for groups of less than 10.
• March 21, 2020 – The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation announced that insurance premium installment payments due for March through May for the current policy year may be deferred until June 1.
• March 21, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Transportation announced the agency will issue waivers on a rolling basis for haulers carrying heavy or oversized loads of essential goods.
• March 21, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Health issued a Director’s Order closing all internet cafes.
• March 22, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Health issued a “Stay at Home” order which directs citizens of Ohio to stay at home or place of residence, ceases all non-essential business and operations, prohibits public and private gatherings, and prohibits some travel, among other things.
• March 22, 2020 – The Ohio Board of Pharmacy passed a rule relating to prescribing chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment.
• March 23, 2020 – The Governor announced that any child care facility that remains open to care for children under a Temporary Pandemic Child Care license must give first priority to front line workers.
• March 26, 2020 – The Governor announced an expanded data dashboard that displays the most recent preliminary data reported to the Ohio Department of Health about COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Ohio by selected demographics and county of residence.

• March 27, 2020 – The Governor signed House Bill 197 which provides emergency relief to Ohioans. Specifically, the bill, among other things:
  • Waives state testing requirements for school children this year;
  • Extends professional licenses to those who cannot get them renewed;
  • Extends the income tax deadline to July 15, 2020; and,
  • Provides funding for small businesses, such as day cares and services for the disabled.
  • March 28, 2020 – The Governor made an urgent plea to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to issue an emergency waiver for the use of new technology that could sterilize up to 160,000 used N95 personal protective face masks per day in the state. Additionally, the Governor issued a plea to LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics to provide COVID-19 testing results to the Ohio Department of Health immediately.

• March 30, 2020 – The Governor made several announcements related to the state’s ongoing pandemic response:
  • School closures have been extended through the end of April;
  • The formation of a “Homelessness Team” to help people who may rely on homeless shelters, domestic shelters, group homes, and recovery housing;
  • A forthcoming business advisory group to provide recommendations to mitigate the negative economic impact in Ohio; and,
  • Inmates incarcerated in state correctional facilities have begun making gowns, cough masks, hand sanitizer, and face shields.

• March 31, 2020 – The Department of Health issued a Director’s Order to require any entity involved in the supply chain, from creation through end use, to report and disclose their inventory of ventilators no later than 5:00PM ET each Wednesday.

• April 1, 2020 – The Governor issued Executive Order 2020-08D requesting landlords suspend rent payments for small business commercial tenants and provide a moratorium of evictions of small business commercial tenants for a period of 90 days.
• April 1, 2020 – The Governor announced the establishment of a public-private partnership, the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance to Fight COVID-19, that will coordinate efforts to provide healthcare workers and first responders with personal protective equipment.
• April 1, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Health Director signed an order to speed turnaround time of COVID-19 testing by directing Ohio hospitals that do not currently conduct their own testing to send their specimens to one of four laboratories outlined in the order. Additionally, hospitals are directed to immediately begin utilizing rapid tests as soon as they become available.
• April 1, 2020 – The Governor announced a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and grocery stores to develop a “click and collect” option for SNAP recipients. The partnership allows SNAP recipients to order groceries online, pick up their groceries in their cares, and swipe their EBT cards from their vehicles without entering the store.
• April 1, 2020 – The Governor announced the President approved the governor’s request for a major disaster declaration to provide relief for state and local response efforts associated with emergency protective measures, such as emergency operations center operations, fire and police services, emergency medical care, sheltering, among other things.

• April 2, 2020 – The Governor announced several state actions to strengthen response and recovery efforts:
  • Extending the stay and home order through May 1;
  • Creating an Economic Advisory Board to assist the administration work through the economic issues facing Ohio; and,
  • Implementing a website geared toward matching essential businesses with Ohioans who are able and willing to work as an essential employee.

• April 3, 2020 – The Governor announced that The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is partnering with the Ohio Department of Health to help increase the availability of testing supplies.
• April 3, 2020 – Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced that Battelle and JobsOhio have partnered to provide free N95 masks sanitizing for hospitals for the next two weeks.
• April 3, 2020 – The Governor announced that he recommended the early release of 38 prison inmates. To this end, the Governor will send a letter to the judges who presided over these cases and encourage them to grant early release.
• April 3, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Education released a special guide to assist schools, educators, students, parents, and caregivers as they navigate remote learning.
• April 4, 2020 – The Governor, Lt. Governor, and the Director of the Ohio Department of Health urged Ohioans to begin wearing cloth masks while in public.
• April 4, 2020 – The Governor signed an executive order allowing Ohioans to more easily access telehealth services from individual counselors, social workers, and marriage and family counselors.
• April 4, 2020 – Lt. Governor Husted announced that BroadbandOhio has been working with providers to find public WiFi locations for Ohioans who may not otherwise have access to internet from home. A list of hotspot finders and locations by provider can be found here.
• April 4, 2020 – The JobsOhio Innovation Fund will make loans available to eligible businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. They will use convertible loans, side by side with cash co-invested from existing investors, toward Ohio’s most promising and innovative companies.

• April 6, 2020 – The Governor announced six sites have been selected as alternative care facilities to increase medical surge.
• April 6, 2020 – The Governor authorized the Ohio National Guard to assist in the Elkton Federal Correctional Institution’s infirmary with non-COVID-19 cases and with patients who are showing symptoms of the disease.

• April 7, 2020 – The Ohio Liquor Control Commission passed an emergency rule, allowing establishments with an existing on-premises liquor permit to sell and deliver alcohol for off-premises consumption.
• April 7, 2020 – The Ohio Development Services Agency established the Office of Small Business Relief, that will:
  • Serve as the lead state agency for administering federal recovery funds for small business support and recovery;
  • Work with federal, state, and local partners to evaluate and determine possible regulatory reforms that encourage employment and job creation; and,
  • Coordinate efforts of Ohio’s Small Business Development Centers and Minority Business Assistance Centers.
• April 7, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections recommended that certain inmates scheduled to be released in the next 90 days be released sooner to allow for increased social distancing between prison staff and inmates.
• April 7, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced that those who did not already receive the maximum monthly allotment for their household size from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in March will be issued an additional payment beginning this week.
• April 8, 2020 – The Governor requested the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to provide $1.6 billion to Ohio employers, equal to 100 percent of the premium employers paid in policy year 2018.

• April 9, 2020 – The Governor announced that through the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance, 19 manufacturers have partnered with three hospital groups to begin large scale production of face shields.
• April 9, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced that The Christ Hospital Linder Research Center in Cincinnati received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin treating high-risk patients with convalescent plasma, an approach that holds potential for reducing a patient’s risk of dying.
• April 9, 2020 – In partnership with the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance, JobsOhio is connecting and aligning resources through its network partners to help companies accelerate their ability to produce PPE.
• April 10, 2020 – JobsOhio is subsidizing up to $250,000 toward the first two-week supply of PPE for health care workers and first responders at no cost through a partnership with Battelle.
• April 10, 2020 – The Governor announced that Medicaid managed care plans and MyCare Ohio plans have reached an agreement to ease several pharmacy benefit restrictions.
• April 10, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted STERIS Healthcare in Mentor a temporary Emergency Use Authorization for contaminating compatible N95 and N95-equivalent respirators.
• April 10, 2020 – The Governor announced that JobsOhio has procured more than 1 million ounces of Ohio distillery made hand sanitizer, to be distributed to the Ohio Association foodbanks.
• April 10, 2020 – The Governor announced a temporary permit from the Ohio Department of Transportation that will allow food vendors to sell food to truck drivers and other essential personnel who stop at any of the state’s 86 rest areas.

• April 13, 2020 – The Department of Health issued an order requiring long-term care facilities to notify residents and families within 24 hours of a resident or staff member testing positive for the virus.
• April 13, 2020 – The Department of Health issued an order restricted the sale of in-person liquor in six border counties to Ohio residents.
• April 13, 2020 – The Governor authorized members of the Ohio National Guard to support the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) medical staff at the Pickaway Correctional Institution.

• April 14, 2020 – The Department of Health issued an order requiring local health departments to provide to their jurisdictions’ dispatch agency or agencies the names and address of COVID-19 positive individuals.
• April 14, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced that 667 critical employers – including Amazon, Walmart, and CVS Health – have listed roughly 41,000 essential job openings on the state’s job search portal.

• April 15, 2020 – The Governor asked the Ohio Hospital Association to begin developing a plan to begin treating patients whose non-COVID-19 elective procedures were delayed or deferred during the emergency.
• April 15, 2020 – The Governor announced the expansion of Ohio’s partnership with Battelle to extend their sterilization services to law enforcement agencies and EMS providers.
• April 15, 2020 – The Governor announced the Ohio State University will be creating viral transport media, such as sterile solution needed to transport the swabs.
• April 15, 2020 – The Governor announced the early release of 105 prison inmates who had been scheduled to be released in the next 90 days.

• April 16, 2020 – The Governor announced they are working closely with the governors of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin to reopen the region’s economy in a coordinated way.
• April 16, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will begin a phased reopening of the state economy on May 1.
• April 17, 2020 – The Governor announced comprehensive testing of inmates has begun at Marion Correctional Institution, Pickaway Correctional Institution and Franklin Medical Center.

• April 20, 2020 – The Governor announced that K-12 schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019 – 2020 academic year.
• April 20, 2020 – The Governor formed the Minority Health Strike Force to examine the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on minority groups in Ohio and across the country.
• April 20, 2020 – The Governor directed the Ohio Department of Health to collect more specific information regarding cases of COVID-19 in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals.
• April 20, 2020 – The Governor announced LabCorp and Quest no longer have a backlog of samples and have added more testing capacity to process testing samples received from hospitals.

• April 21, 2020 – The Governor announced the formation of a testing strike team that will work to secure reliable sources of reagents and testing supplies for COVID-19. 
• April 21, 2020 – The Governor announced the Ohio Department of Agriculture has waived the required $50,000 local match for the Agriculture Society Facilities Grant Program to assist local budgets and businesses’ bottom lines.
• April 21, 2020 – JobsOhio announced a new partnership to support Peoples Bank and First Federal-Home Savings Bank’s existing small business clients in Ohio. The partnership will help small businesses maintain operations and payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.  JobsOhio has committed up to $50 million in assistance.
• April 21, 2020 – The Governor announced the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation board of directors approved the distribution of 170,000 dividend checks over the next five days to private employers and local governments.

• April 22, 2020 – The Director of the Ohio Department of Health issued an order that directs healthcare providers in hospitals and outpatient surgery centers to reassess procedures and surgeries that were postponed.
• April 22, 2020 – The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services launched a mental health COVID CareLine.

• April 24, 2020 – The Governor announced the Testing Strike Team reached an agreement with Thermo Fisher to substantially expand testing capacity throughout the state.
• April 24, 2020 – The Governor announced ROE Dental Laboratory in Cleveland will manufacture up to 1 million testing swabs to support the state’s testing efforts.
• April 24, 2020 – The Governor announced the state partnered with Massachusetts-based Partners in Health to bring needed resources to increase the state’s ability to trace contact exposure to the virus.
• April 24, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will cover the costs to keep more than 200 youth who are aging out of foster care in the foster care system until the pandemic ends.
• April 24, 2020- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Ohio’s request for a Section 1135 Medicaid waiver. The approved waiver enables Ohio to provide flexibilities in Medicaid provider screening and enrollment, lift prior authorization requirements, allow for reimbursement facility services in alternative settings, and waive public comment and tribal consultation requirements for certain changes to the Medicaid state plan
• April 28, 2020 – The Governor announced the state will not require customers entering retail establishments to wear face coverings; however, wearing face masks in public is still strongly recommended.
• April 28, 2020 – The Governor established two separate advisory groups to develop best practices for reopening dine-in restaurants, barbershops, and salons.

• April 29, 2020 – The Governor announced the state has shipped 4.1 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to local emergency management agencies (EMAs) across Ohio, the largest one-time distribution of PPE from the state to local EMAs in Ohio’s history.
• April 29, 2020 – The Governor announced at least $16 million in grant funding is available for local law enforcement agencies to support:
  • Taking measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 such as purchasing cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment;
  • Taking measures to prepare for COVID-19 such as supporting proper planning, staffing, and communications to ensure effective operations and maintain the safety of criminal justice employees, citizens, and correctional populations; and,
  • Taking measures to respond to the spread of COVID-19 such as medical visits, hospitalizations, purchasing medical supplies, and securing alternative housing.
• April 29, 2020 – The Department of Education and Department of Health issued the following suggestions for local schools and health departments:
  • Virtual graduation ceremonies (preferred);
  • Drive-in ceremonies where students drive to a designated location at a designated time to get their diplomas; and,
  • Outdoor ceremonies with 10 people or less who are socially distanced.
• May 1, 20202 – The Governor issued a “Stay Safe Ohio Order,” which incorporates the reopening of businesses and services announced as part of the Responsible Restart Ohio plan.

• May 4, 2020 – The Governor outlined three priority testing categories made possible through a steady supply of testing reagent and swabs through a partnership with Ohio, Thermo Fisher, and ROE Dental Scientific.
• May 4, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced that Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicle deputy registrars around the state may begin reopening as early as the end of the month.

• May 7, 2020 – The Governor announced the next phase of the Responsible RestartOhio plan as it relates to restaurants, bars, and personal care services. These entities in Ohio will be permitted to reopen as follows:
  • May 15: Outdoor dining and personal care services
  • May 21: Dine-in service

• May 12, 2020 – The Governor announced the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services received federal approval for its Pandemic EBT Plan, which will allow the agency to distribute SNAP benefits to 850,000 students across Ohio who relied on free or reduced-price meal programs when school was in session to have access to a hot, nutritious meal.
• May 12, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced that sectors licensed by the State Medical Board of Ohio, including massage therapy, acupuncture, and cosmetic therapy will be permitted to reopen on May 15 with the implementation of proper safety measures.
• May 12, 2020 – The Governor announced tattoo and body piercing services will be permitted to reopen on May 15 with the implementation of proper safety measures.
• May 12, 2020 – The Governor announced the Staying Connected Program, which will provide a daily check-in by phone for Ohioans age 60 or older. 

• May 14, 2020 – The Governor announced campgrounds will be permitted to reopen with required safety protocols beginning May 21.
• May 14, 2020 – The Governor announced horse racing (no spectators) will be permitted to open with required safety protocols beginning May 22.
• May 14, 2020 – The Governor announced Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) locations, gyms and fitness centers, adult and youth sports leagues (non-contact, limited contact), and public/club pools will be permitted to reopen with required safety protocols beginning May 26.
• May 14, 2020 – The Governor announced childcare providers will be permitted to reopen with required safety protocols beginning May 31.
• May 18, 2020 – The Governor announced that the state is assembling an enforcement team to ensure that bars and restaurants are operating safely under the Responsible RestartOhio plan.
• May 18, 2020 – The Governor ordered mass testing to take place at Ohio’s two state nursing home facilities for veterans.
• May 21, 2020 – The Governor announced the following health orders have been signed:
  • Camp Safe Ohio Order to reopen campgrounds with exceptions;
  • Director’s Order rescinding and maintaining portions of the Stay Safe Ohio Order; and
  • Urgent Health Advisory: Ohioans Protecting Ohioans advising elderly people and those who are vulnerable because of illness to take additional precautions.
• May 26, 2020 – The Governor announced the formation of Congregate Care Unified Response Teams to test residents and staff members in Ohio’s nursing homes.

• May 28, 2020 – The Governor announced the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy has clarified rules that allow pharmacists to order and administer tests for COVID-19.
• May 28, 20200 – The Governor announced the state expanded testing prioritization to allow partners and communities to test Ohioans in Priority Group 4 which includes testing individuals in the community to decrease community spread, including individuals with symptoms who do not meet any of first three priority groups.
• May 28, 2020 – The Governor announced a plan to lift restrictions on visitation at assisted living homes in Ohio on June 8 to allow for outdoor visitations. At a minimum, all facilities must develop a policy that includes:
  • Screening for temperatures and symptom-reporting for visitors;
  • Scheduled hours and time limits for visits;
  • Proper social distancing measures;
  • Face coverings;
  • Resident, family, and friend education about the risks of the spread of COVID-19
• May 28, 2020 – The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is deferring Ohio employers’ premium installments for the months of June, July, and August designed to help employers focus financial resources on re-opening their businesses under the Responsible RestartOhio Plan.
• May 28, 2020 – The Governor’s Fair Advisory Group released guidelines for how county fair boards and agricultural societies can work with county health departments to safely operate junior fairs for kids.

• May 29, 2020 – The Governor announced an order signed by the Ohio Department of Health Director which revises business guidance and social distancing.
• May 29, 2020 – The Governor announced an order signed by the Ohio Department of Health Director which rescinds a previous order restricting the sale of spirituous liquor in certain instances in certain counties.
• May 30, 2020 – The Governor announced an order signed by the Ohio Department of Health Director which provides for the reopening of child care services, with exceptions.

• June 2, 2020 – The Governor announced the state intends to reopen schools in the fall, but individual starting dates will be up to each local school board.
• June 2, 2020 – The Governor announced health care providers, including dentists, may resume all surgeries and procedures that had previously been delayed if they meet safety criteria, including:
  • Maintaining adequate inventories of PPE, supplies, equipment, and medicine;
  • Creating a plan for the conservation and monitoring use of PPE, as well as other supplies and equipment that could include decontamination and reuse;
  • Maintaining a reliable supply chain to support non-COVID-19 cases and to respond to an unexpected surge in COVID-19 cases, if needed;
  • Defining processes for timely COVID-19 testing of patients and staff; and,
  • Continuing the use of telehealth whenever possible.
• June 5, 2020 – The Governor announced that a multitude of sectors, such as casinos and amusement parks, could reopening. An amended order was also signed that allows properly prepared assisted living facilities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities to begin to allow outdoor visitation on June 8.

• June 9, 2020 – The Governor announced the state has delivered over 30 million pieces of PPE, whereby 27.8 million pieces have been shipped to county EMAs for local distribution.
• June 9, 2020 – The Governor announced that GOJO, an Akron-based manufacturer of hand sanitizer, and part of the Ohio Manufacturing Alliance, is expanding in Navarre and Maple Heights to meet the demand for their products.

• June 11, 2020 – The Governor announced the state is expanding testing and encourage those who want a COVID-19 test –including those who are low-risk or asymptomatic—to talk with their health care provider or contact a testing location to arrange a test.
• June 11, 2020 – The Governor announced a series of “pop-up” testing locations, beginning with six locations in Columbus.
• June 11, 2020 – The Governor released the latest basic reproduction number or R0 for eight regions of Ohio. With the state’s interventions, the R0 for the state measured slightly lower than 1.0 on June 1. However, the state is beginning to see a slight increase in the R0 measurements in certain parts of Ohio, such as the Dayton region.
• June 11, 2020 – The Governor sent a letter to the ministerial community in Ohio to update them on the status of COVID-19 and provide suggested best practices for resuming in-person services.
• June 11, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services will receive an $8.5 million federal Employment Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant to help reemploy individuals who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic and to help employers rebuild their workforces.

• June 18, 2020 – The Governor announced that pop-up testing sites will surge in Montgomery County, Greene County, Clark County, Warren County, and Hamilton County, zip codes with the highest number of cases.
• June 18, 2020 – The Governor announced the creation of the Hospital PPE Readiness Stockpile, which will be compiled and stored by Ohio hospitals throughout the state.
• June 18, 2020 – The Governor issued an executive order that expands the definition of good cause for filing an unemployment claim through the state of emergency.
• June 18, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced that Phase II of the Responsible RestartOhio plan for sports activities will allow contact practice for all sports to resume on June 22.

• June 23, 2020 – The Governor announced two public awareness campaigns aimed at spreading awareness of COVID-19 prevention measures that impact the well-being of Ohioans and the Ohio economy.
• June 23, 2020 – The Governor announced the first round of funding, approximately $2.1 million, is being distributed to 65 local criminal justice agencies as part of the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Grant.

• June 25, 2020 – The Governor announced the reproductive rate of COVID-19 has doubled over the last 10 days in the Cincinnati region.
• June 25, 2020 – The Governor announced that the Ohio Department of Health will continue funding for the 2-1-1 service as Ohio enters into the next phase of the pandemic.
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor announced last week was the first week of increasing COVID-19 hospital utilization in Ohio after over two months of decreasing utilization since late April.
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor explained that the increase in positive COVID-19 cases is not fully due to Ohio’s increase in testing, rather it is a sign of broader community spread.
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor announced that beginning on July 20, nursing homes are permitted to begin outdoor visitation as long as all safety standards are met. When assessing their readiness to permit outdoor visitation, nursing homes should consider:
  • Case status in the surrounding community;
  • Case status in the nursing home;
  • Staffing levels;
  • Access to adequate testing for residents and staff;
  • Personal protective equipment supplies; and
  • Local hospital capacity .
• June 29, 2020 – The Governor announced the extension of existing health orders through this week as his administration finalizes plans to help local schools safely reopen.

• July 2, 2020 – The Governor issued guidance for schools to safely reopen in the fall.
• July 2, 2020 – The Governor announced that going forward, Ohio will implement a new alert system that will provide health departments and community leaders data and information to combat flare-ups as they occur in different parts of the state.
• July 2, 2020 – The Governor announced the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division Control has granted over 300 expansion requests to bars and restaurants to allow patrons more opportunities to enjoy dinner or drinks in a safe environment.
• July 2, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced the state will now be publicly reporting “Presumed Recovered” as a data point.
• July 8, 2020 – The Governor signed a health order requiring face coverings in public in all counties that are designated as a red Alert Level 3 Public Health Emergency or a Purple Alert Level 4 Public Health Emergency.  

• July 9, 2020 – The Governor announced that new public health data has led the Ohio Department of Health to designate 12 counties as being in a Red Alert Level 3 Public Emergency as defined by the Ohio Public Health Advisory System.
• July 9, 2020 – The Governor announced that the Ohio Department of Education developed guidance and best practices to help campuses safely reopen.
• July 9, 2020 – The Governor and leaders of the Ohio General Assembly requested that the Ohio Controlling Board approve an initial request to allocate $200 million for higher education and $100 million for K-12 schools to address increasing costs associated with the COVID-19 safety measures.
• July 9, 2020 – The Governor announced he is awarding an additional grant of $15 million to the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing. The grant supports efforts to rehouse individuals and families that could be at greater risk of contracting COVID-19, especially those in congregate facilities such as homeless shelters.

• July 16, 2020 – The Governor announced that new public health data has led the Ohio Department of Health to designate 19 counties as being in a Red Alert Level 3 Public Health Emergency as defined by the Ohio Public Health Advisory System.
• July 16, 2020 – The Governor signed an executive order to extend and improve emergency rules that will provide additional flexibilities to allow health care professionals to deliver services via telehealth.
• July 16, 2020 – The Lt. Governor announced that Ohio Development Services Agency awarded $20 million in grants to 68 Ohio manufacturers to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) and help ensure the safety of Ohioans during the coronavirus pandemic.
• July 23, 2020 – The Governor signed an executive order requiring individuals to wear face coverings when out in public.