DeWine announces timetable to reopen Ohio

SANDUSKY — Gov. Mike DeWine announced a timetable Monday to gradually open many Ohio businesses, although he did not say when businesses such as amusement parks, restaurants and barbershops can return. Decisions on restaurants and entertainment businesses will come later, he said. DeWine announced doctor's offices, dental offices and veterinary offices can be back in business on May 1. Until now, treatment largely had been limited to emergencies. Manufacturers and offices can reopen on May 4, DeWine said, although businesses are encouraged to let people keep working at home when possible. Stores, consumer businesses and service businesses can reopen May 12, he said. Examples of operations that will remain closed are schools, restaurants and bars (for dining-in), beauty and hair businesses such as barbershops, hair and nail salons, older adult daycares, entertainment and recreation businesses and gyms, according to a list put out by the governor's office. The entertainment businesses, which remain closed for now, include amusement parks, water parks, bowling alleys, miniature golf attractions, movie theaters, museums and country clubs. The governor said he has been having conversations about opening up businesses such as barbershops and restaurants and will try to get them open, too, as soon as possible. The order banning gatherings of more than 10 people in Ohio remains in effect. The governor said he's made no decision about summer camps for kids. The governor did not mention public libraries, which shut down all over Ohio without ever being formally told the close. "I don't have an update on libraries today," said Dan Tierney, the governor's press secretary. Erie County had 52 total cases as of Monday, with deaths standing at 3. Three patients were being treated for COVID-19 at Firelands Regional Medical Center, with the number of staffers in the Firelands system testing positive remaining at 18. There were 37 cases in Ottawa County, 29 cases in Huron County and 19 cases in Sandusky County. Ohio had 16,325 cases and 753 deaths. The CDC listed 957,875 cases and 53,922 deaths in the U.S. Johns Hopkins reported 3,029,452 cases and 209,799 deaths worldwide. The governor announced his timetable as a new poll showed a solid majority of Ohioans back him. A new poll issued Monday by Baldwin Wallace University in Berea showed 85 percent of Ohio voters approve of DeWine's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, versus 50 percent approval for Donald Trump, a gap that's widened by 5 points since late March. Nine in 10 Ohioans support DeWine's restrictions, including his stay-at-home order. The poll said 90 percent of Ohioans trust DeWine to "provide accurate information on COVID-19" with only a slim majority expressing similar trust in Trump. DeWine, discussing the timetable at his usual daily press conference in Columbus, said he tried to concentrate on opening businesses that could be reopened safely. He said businesses and activities that involve gatherings of large numbers of people, such as sports and concerts, would have to be allowed later. DeWine said his new timetable will not satisfy the people who want to open up everything right away and also won't please people who think the lockdown should continue. The governor said he "tried to find the sweet spot" and said he wants to try to have as much safety as possible while also protecting jobs and the economy. If the economy continues to get worse, that creates all kinds of problems, including health problems, DeWine said. "With any decision there is risk," he said. "Doing nothing is a risk." The governor said that while many businesses are being allowed to reopen, all businesses will be expected to follow five rules. They are (1) expecting workers and customers to wear masks, (2) doing daily health assessment of employees, (3) practicing good hygiene measures such as hand washing and social distancing, (4) cleaning and sanitizing the workplace and (5) limiting the number of people inside an area so that social distancing is possible. Enforcement will still be in the hands of local health departments, aided by police, DeWine said, although social pressure will likely enforce many rules. Trends such as a decline in new cases and a decline in hospitalizations suggest now is a good time to begin opening up, DeWine said. The governor said he expects Ohio will be able to do more testing and then follow up those results with more contact tracing by local health departments, making it safer to open up businesses. But he said allowing more activities does carry a risk of the virus spreading more. Dr. Amy Acton, the state health department director, said as Ohio opens up businesses, it will learn from that and make adjustments in the rules. "We'll have to do audibles," she said, using the football term for making last-second changes in a called play before the ball is snapped. "The governor will continue to make those decisions."