Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Issues Additional Ohio Industries Closed As Ohio Fights COVID-19 War

Today (3/18/2020) Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued additional closures for more Ohio industries over concerns of the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).  These industries are to close until further notice at the close of business today.  Those additional closures include closing 181 BMV deputy registrar locations.  Of these though, 5 will remain open in a limited capacity as they are essential to issue CDL’s to keep food and medical supplies moving.  52 driver examination stations will close as well.  As a result, Gov. DeWine will be asking the general assemble to grant a grace period for people whose license will expire and will not be able to renew prior to the expiration date.  Moreover, Gov. DeWine has also asked all law enforcement officers to not issue tickets for individuals who are unable to renew their license as a result of the decision to close BMV locations.

Additional industries who are ordered to close at the end of business today until further notice include: spas, barber shops, hair dressers, nail salons and tattoo parlors.

Libraries are not being shut down, but they are being left to decide for themselves how they can enact social distancing.  Some libraries may decide themselves to shut down.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine also issued the following for ALL Ohio businesses where employees come to work:

For ever business in the state of Ohio – we are asking them, beginning immediately, to take the temperature of every single employee every single day before they come to work.  We are asking businesses be very aggressive in regard to cleaning surfaces, having ample hand soap and water as well as hand sanitizer.  Gov. Mike DeWine also asked Ohio businesses to be vigilant and to send employees who appear sick home and to keep those employees who appear sick home.

Gov. DeWine also stated that Ohioians will begin to see the National Guard assist with things such as setting up tents for COVID-19 screening as well as providing assistance to food banks, etc..

Dr. Amy Acton, MD, MPH, director of health for the Ohio Department of Health stated that there are now, 88 confirmed cases in Ohio.  “We have a shortage of tests and we need to prioritize who we test”.  The age range of those who have now tested positive for COVID-19 in Ohio is 2 years of age to 91 years of age with a median age of 48 1/2 years.  Sex is split overall 33 females and 55 males.  There have been 26 hospitalizations, some of those requiring ICU, and 0 deaths encompassing individual in 19 Ohio counties.

Governor DeWine stated, “The virus is here.  It lives among us, and we must act as though we are at war with a very active enemy”.  He added, “This enemy is dangerous and it is relentless.  It is using us to survive, to multiply and to go from person to person.  We do have the ability to fight back.  When I stop moving, when you stop moving, it stops moving. We don’t need to go into the battlefield ourselves, we simply need to stay home.  We simply need to have space between ourselves and others”.

Services are available for those small business owners who are affected by COVID-19.  Those small business owners are able to visit sba.gov/disaster for services from the Small Business Administraton to help you get through this difficult time.

There is also help for those facing foreclosure or eviction as President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his administration will suspend foreclosures and evictions on homeowners at least until the end of next month.

“The Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing immediate relief to renters and homeowners by suspending all foreclosures and evictions until the end of April,” Trump said.