CORRECTION: Gov. Mike DeWine clarified Tuesday that Ohio’s mask guidelines were a recommendation and not mandatory. He said it was a “strong recommendation” that customers wear masks to protect retail workers.
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine unveiled his plan to slowly reopen the Buckeye State.
DeWine will begin to open businesses in different sectors over the next few weeks. He called his plan “Responsible Restart Ohio.”
DeWine made a strong recommendation that people wear masks in public. It is not a mandate, DeWine clarified during his Tuesday briefing.
However, the governor had strong words on masks Monday, saying, “No mask, no work, no service, no exception.” DeWine said Monday afternoon.
Here’s a look at the timeline:
May 1
- Most medical procedures, general wellness visits that don’t require overnight stays
- Dentists
- Veterinarians
May 4
- Manufacturing, distribution, construction and general office environments
May 12
- Consumer and retail services
DeWine said there are specific guidelines businesses must meet in order to reopen. They must conduct daily health assessments, sanitize workplaces, practice good hygiene and social distancing. They must also limit the number of customers inside their businesses.
The governor is asking businesses to refuse service to customers who aren’t wearing masks. Employees who can work at home should continue to do so.
DeWine said the Ohio Department of Health will closely monitor COVID-19 cases to gauge the impact of reopening businesses.
While the plan allows some businesses to reopen, there are many businesses that will remain closed:
- K-12 schools and daycares.
- Restaurants and bars (carryout and delivery services are permitted)
- Personal appearance/beauty services (hair salons, day spas, nail salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors, body piercing locations, tanning facilities, massage therapy locations and similar businesses)
- Older adult day care services and senior centers
- Adult day support or vocational habilitation services in congregate settings
- Rooming and boarding houses, and workers’ camps
- Entertainment/recreation/gymnasium sites, including but not limited to:
- All places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, such as:
- Laser tag facilities, roller skating rinks, ice skating rinks, arcades, indoor miniature golf facilities, bowling alleys, indoor trampoline parks, indoor water parks, arcades, and adult and child skill or chance game facilities remain closed.
- Gambling industries.
- Auditoriums, stadiums, arenas.
- Movie theatres, performance theatres, and concert and music halls
- Public recreation centers and indoor sports facilities.
- Parades, fairs, festivals, and carnivals.
- Amusement parks, theme parks, outdoor water parks, children’s play centers, playgrounds, and funplexes.
- Aquariums, zoos, museums, historical sites, and similar institutions.
- Country clubs and social clubs.
- Spectator sports, recreational sports tournaments and organized recreational sports leagues.
- Health clubs, fitness centers, workout facilities, gyms, and yoga studios.
- Swimming pools, whether public or private, except swimming pools for single households.
- Residential and day camps.
- Campgrounds, including recreational camps and recreational vehicle (RV) parks
- Excludes people living in campground RVs with no other viable place of residence)
- Excludes people living in cabins, mobile homes, or other fixed structures that are meant for single families and where preexisting residential activity already has been established. (E.g., for people who have part-time preestablished residences at campgrounds for the summer months.)
- All places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, such as:
