While saying it's an "absolutely crucial time", Gov. Mike DeWine said he's issuing an order for all Ohioans to stay at home starting at 11:59pm Monday - what's being called a "shelter in place" order in other states.DeWine said the order includes three parts:
- Stay at home order allows for leaving home for health and safety, necessary supplies and services, outdoor activity, take care of others – family members, friend, pet in another household
- The identification of essential workers and businesses
- Each business that is allowed to stay open must follow good health, safety protocol, such as maintaining six foot distance, washing hands, hand sanitizing products, separate operating hours for vulnerable populations, online and remote access for customers
The order goes into effect Monday at 11:59pm and will expire April 6, though DeWine said that could be extended. And he said it's an order, not a suggestion, and it can be enforced by local health departments and law enforcement.
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DeWine said there's nothing in his order that he hasn't been asking Ohioans to do for the last week. He calls it a "blueprint of how we get through this".
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"We are in an absolutely crucial time," DeWine said. "What we do now will make all the difference in the world."
Sunday the state announced 351 cases of coronavirus in 40 counties, with 83 hospitalizations. Three people have died, including 76-year-old Mark Wagoner Sr. in Lucas County and a 91-year-old married man in Cuyahoga County.
DeWine also issued an order that all daycares in Ohio will have to operate under a temporary pandemic child care license. No more than six children will be permitted per room.
DeWine also noted a decision from an emergency session of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy - that board passed a rule setting out specific provisions on prescribing chloroquine and hydroxycholorquine. Those are drugs that President Trump touted as possible treatments for COVID-19, though that is unproven. DeWine said an order will be issued to limit prescriptions of those drugs for their intended purposes - primarily for malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus - and for those who have tested positive for COVID-19.
State lawmakers are expected to come back into session this week. DeWine also said he'll be asking them to take up state mandated testing, saying "it's time to make the decision to forgo testing this year." That opens the door to an extension of his order to close K-12 schools till April 3. He's said several times that order will be extended, and has suggested students may not go back to school this academic year.
Editor's note: This story has been updated.
