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Governor DeWine Press Conference Summary for Wednesday, April 29

Below are the updates from yesterday’s press conference with Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted, and Dr. Acton. Today’s press conference is scheduled for 2:00 PM.  You can watch this on the Ohio Channel, Ohio Public TV (PBS stations), and other Columbus-based outlets.    

Here’s the news from Wednesday: 

  • Ohio’s COVID-19 case data is below:
    • 16,601 confirmed cases
    • 702 probable cases  
    • 17,303 total cases
    • 3,421 hospitalizations
    • 856 confirmed deaths
    • 81 probable deaths
    • 937 total deaths
    • 1,014 ICU admissions
    • More data is available on the COVID-19 Dashboard HERE. 
  • Governor DeWine announced today that the state of Ohio has shipped 4.1 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to local emergency management agencies (EMA) across Ohio. The shipment includes: 500,000 N95 masks, 850,000 face shields, 750,000 surgical-type masks, and 2 million non-medical gloves. 
  • Lt. Governor Husted today reemphasized that face coverings are required for employers and employees while on the job. Exceptions for employers and employees include when: An employee in a particular position is prohibited by a law or regulation from wearing a face covering while on the job; Wearing a face covering on the job is against documented industry best practices; Wearing a face covering is not advisable for health purposes; If wearing a face covering is a violation of a company’s safety policies; An employee is sitting alone in an enclosed workspace; There is a practical reason a face covering cannot be worn by an employee. If any of the exceptions apply to a business or employee, written justification must be provided upon request. 
  • Governor DeWine announced that nearly $16 million in grant funding is now available for local law enforcement agencies, probation and parole offices, local courts, victim service providers, and adult, juvenile, and community corrections agencies. This funding was awarded to the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, as part of the CARES Act. OCJS will accept applications on a continual basis while funding is available, and there is no cap.  For more information, please visit https://www.ocjs.ohio.gov/ 
  • The Ohio Department of Education and Ohio Department of Health today issued suggestions for local schools and health departments. Suggestions include virtual graduation ceremonies (preferred) drive-in ceremonies, or outdoor ceremonies. Governor DeWine also stressed that graduation parties cannot exceed 10 people in one space. Additional guidance on graduation ceremonies can be found HERE 
  • Ohioans can apply for unemployment benefits online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at unemployment.ohio.gov. It is also possible to file by phone at 877-644-6562 or TTY at 888- 642-8203, Monday through Friday 7AM to 7PM, Saturday 9AM to 5PM, and Sunday 9AM to 1PM. Employers with questions should email UCTech@jfs.ohio.gov 

As always, Coronavirus.Ohio.Gov and the Department of Health hotline, 1-833-4-ASK-ODH are great resources for those who have questions.

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