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Governor DeWine Press Conference Summary for Wednesday, July 22

Below are the updates from yesterday’s press conference with Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted. The next press conference is currently scheduled for today (7/23) at 2:00 PM.

Here’s the news from Wednesday: 

  • Ohio’s COVID-19 case data is below:
    • 74,409 confirmed cases
    • 4,333 probable cases  
    • 78,742 total cases
    • 9,864 hospitalizations
    • 2,976 confirmed deaths
    • 259 probable deaths
    • 3,235 total deaths
    • 2,386 ICU admissions
    • More data is available on the COVID-19 Dashboard HERE. 
  • Governor DeWine announced that beginning on Thursday, July 23, at 6:00 PM, a statewide mask mandate will go into effect for citizens living in all 88 Ohio counties. All individuals in Ohio must wear facial coverings in public at all times when: at an indoor location that is not a residence; outdoors, but unable to maintain six-foot social distance from people who are not household members; waiting for, riding, driving, or operating public transportation, such as a taxi, a car service, or a private car used for ride-sharing. 
  • The order only requires those 10 years old or older to wear a mask. Additional exclusions include: those with a medical condition or a disability or those communicating with someone with a disability; those who are actively exercising or playing sports, at religious services, involved in public safety, or actively eating or drinking. Schools should follow the guidance previously issued pertaining to masks. 
  • CALL TO ACTION: Thank you to the organizations, associations, and individuals who are being leaders in the effort to encourage the use of facial coverings in public. We appreciate those who publicly issued statements of support. Please also consider helping to share this important message with your networks on social media using #MasksOnOhio and #InThisTogetherOhio. 
  • Governor DeWine announced today a travel advisory for all individuals coming into Ohio from states reporting positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15 percent or higher. Those traveling from Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina, and Texas should self quarantine for 14-days. The self-quarantine recommendation applies to those who live in Ohio and to people who are traveling into Ohio from any of these states. Additional information is attached (ODH Advisory Document, FAQ Document) and you can visit coronavirus.ohio.gov for tips on how to effectively quarantine. 
  • Governor DeWine today urged citizens to use extreme caution when considering attending or hosting an informal gathering. The Governor said that we are seeing serious exposures to the virus that are arising from every day events like church services, small house parties, neighborhood get-togethers, weddings, etc. 
  • Following a 19-case outbreak linked to a county fair in Ohio, Governor DeWine today spoke with fair managers from across Ohio to stress the importance of following safety guidance during county fair events. The Governor said he wants fairs to continue, but they must follow the rules. Guidance for fairs is available at coronavirus.ohio.gov 
  • Lt. Governor Husted today announced that Governor DeWine has signed onto a letter to Congressional leadership with 20 other fellow Governors from across the nation, calling for reasonable limited liability protections for businesses, schools, healthcare workers, and governments as they are reopened during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The letter calls for predictable, timely, targeted liability protections to shield employers from legal risks associated with the spread of the novel coronavirus, so long as they are following the appropriate standards of care to protect their employees, customers, and students. The letter specifically requests that the protections be drawn in a narrow fashion as to not give license for gross negligence, misconduct, or recklessness. 
  • Lt. Governor Husted also highlighted Ohio’s strengthening economy as the state responsibly restarts in the midst of the pandemic. Ohio’s unemployment rate dropped three percentage points in the last month to 10.9%. The Lt. Governor also highlighted how Ohio companies continue to go to great lengths to support their employees and customers. 
  • Beginning with tomorrow's updated Ohio Public Health Advisory System map, Governor DeWine announced that the ICU indicator will be enhanced to address concerns in the event ICU levels increase due to reasons other than COVID-19. The indicator will trigger if ICU capacity for a county’s hospital region exceeds 80 percent of normal capacity and if 20 percent of the normal ICU capacity is being used for COVID-19 positive patients. The Ohio Public Health Advisory System will also be updated in the coming weeks to include more localized testing data and an indicator related to known contacts spreading the virus when such local data is widely available. 
  • The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation will sponsor two new public service announcements created in partnership with the Ohio Restaurant Association, OhioHealth, JobsOhio, and the Ohio Business Roundtable. The first PSA features real Ohioans explaining why all Ohioans should all wear a mask. The second PSA features Dr. Steve Markovich, a former Air National Guardsman and fighter pilot, who is CEO of OhioHealth. He encourages younger adults to wear masks to protect family, friends, and coworkers.  
  • 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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