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DeWine Allows Ohio Child Care Centers To Return To Regular Ratios

By Andy Chow

Published July 28, 2020 at 10:46 PM EDT

Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) [Office of Gov. Mike DeWine] — Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio)

Starting Aug. 9, child care centers in Ohio can begin operating under the regular class sizes and ratios from before the pandemic began, Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Tuesday.

Child care centers may continue operating under the pandemic guidelines and continue to receive subsidies. But DeWine said the change to allow for regular ratios is meant help families trying to figure out where to send their children as parent return to work, especially with more school districts moving to virtual learning.

DeWine said health experts believe Ohio is starting to see a plateau in some of the COVID-19 numbers, including cases. But the rate of increase for deaths, a lagging indicator, is still climbing. DeWine says they're seeing the spread of the virus in what he calls "casual events."

Daily New Confirmed & Probable COVID-19 Cases In Ohio
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Ohio’s public health experts are tracking the spread of COVID-19 through gatherings such as parties, fundraisers, and road trips, where people congregate indoors without distance or masks, the governor said.

People are getting infected at these events then spreading it in other places, like the workplace, he said.

"It's not a question of ‘Okay, I'm going to go out and do something risky, and the only person it's going to hurt is me.' It's a different story," DeWine said.

He also announced all county fairs will be scaled back to junior fairs after July 31. The guidelines prohibit midways, games, grandstand events and implements a 10 p.m. curfew.