Governor DeWine Press Conference Summary for Thursday, November 5
Below are the updates from yesterday’s press conference with Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted. The next press conference is currently scheduled for Tuesday, November 10th at 2:00 PM.
Here’s the news from Thursday:
- Ohio’s COVID-19 case data is below:
- 221,881 confirmed cases
- 13,289 probable cases
- 235,170 total cases
- 20,015 hospitalizations
- 5,133 confirmed deaths
- 328 probable deaths
- 5,461 total deaths
- 3,969 ICU admissions
- More data is available on the COVID-19 Dashboard HERE.
- Governor DeWine announced that Ohio is once again breaking records in regard to COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Health officials have reported a total of 4,961 new positive coronavirus cases in Ohio, the highest number of new cases in a 24-hour period to date. Additionally, new health data compiled by the Ohio Department of Health revealed today that all 88 counties in Ohio are now considered "high incidence" as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Upgraded to Level 3 (Red): Ashland, Champaign, Clinton, Coshocton, Fairfield, Henry, Holmes, Jefferson, Medina, Morrow, Pickaway, Preble, and Sandusky
- Watchlist Counties: None
- Governor DeWine announced multiple key additions to the existing administration at the Ohio Department of Health (ODH)
- Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff: Former Senior VP and Chief Medical Officer at Ohio Health
- Director, Stephanie McCloud: Former Administrator of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
- Senior Deputy, Lance Himes: Former ODH Interim Director
- Chief of Staff, Kathleen Madden: Former Assistant Director at the Ohio Office of Budget and Management
- Governor DeWine announced that John Logue, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation's (BWC) Chief of Strategic Direction, will become the new administrator of Ohio BWC effective on November 16.
- As part of the Administration’s efforts to continue sharing information about COVID-19, our team has created several “Coalition Communication Fact Sheets” for industries, including: agriculture, healthcare, philanthropy, higher-ed, k-12 education, faith based, business, tourism and arts, law enforcement, and local government. These documents will be updated each week and include helpful talking points, sample social media posts, resources, updated COVID data, etc. Attached is one example. If you would like to regularly receive any of these documents, please let me know.
- More information regarding the $25 million in CARES ACT funding for non profits administered by ODJFS will be forthcoming. If you would like to be added to the ODJFS distribution list once information is available, please let me know.
- Reminder that long-term care facilities are encouraged to enroll in the federal COVID-19 vaccination “Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program” no later than the deadline this Friday, November 6. Through the program, CVS and Walgreens will provide and administer COVID-19 vaccines to residents with no out-of-pocket costs. Nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities will be able to sign up via the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) and all other facilities via an online sign up form.
- Ohioans filed 21,263 initial jobless claims and 265,613 continued jobless claims last week, according to statistics the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) reported to the U.S. Department of Labor today.
- Over the last 33 weeks, ODJFS has distributed more than $7.1 billion in unemployment compensation payments to more than 833,000 Ohioans. Of the more than 1 million applications the agency has received, more than 95% have been processed, with less than 5% pending. In addition, ODJFS has issued more than $6.8 billion in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) payments to more than 656,000 PUA claimants.
- 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.