Governor Mike DeWine [ [link removed] ]
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
March 21, 2020 *MEDIA CONTACTS:*
Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
Breann Almos: 614-799-6480

Day Support for Developmentally Disabled to Close; BWC Payments Deferred; Trucking Waiver Issued

"Ohio Department of Health Director Warns that Data is Not Reflective
of True COVID-19 Community Spread in Ohio"



(COLUMBUS, Ohio)Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton, M.D. MPH, provided the following updates regarding COVID-19 in Ohio.

*DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY DAY SUPPORT*

Governor DeWine is ordering all adult day support and vocational habilitation services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to temporarily stop providing services in settings of more than 10 people.

"This order is necessary because individuals with developmental disabilities traditionally receive these services in large groups, and right now, this just isn't safe," said Governor DeWine. "We've been working with service providers to ensure that these individuals will still receive the services they need despite these temporary closures."

The order will become effective on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, at 9:00 p.m.

*OHIO BUREAU OF WORKERS COMPENSATION DEFERRAL:*

Ohios Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) system is the exclusive provider of workers compensation insurance in Ohio and serves 249,000 public and private employers.

To help businesses facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio BWC is announcing that insurance premium installment payments due for March, April, and May for the current policy year may be deferred until June 1, 2020. At that time the matter will be reconsidered.

"BWC will not cancel coverage or assess penalties for amounts not paid because of the coronavirus pandemic," said Lt. Governor Husted. "Installment payments due for the three-month period are totaled at approximately$200 million, and that money will now stay in the economy."

For more information, visitbwc.ohio.gov [ [link removed] ].

*OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WAIVER:*

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) [ [link removed] ]is modifying the process for haulers carrying heavy loads of essential goods.

Generally, Ohio requires haulers with loads classified as "oversized" to seek advanced permission from ODOT before they are legally allowed to travel in the state.

To assist in the states response to the COVID-19 outbreak, ODOT will modify the process for haulers carrying heavy or oversized loads of food, non-alcoholic beverages, medical supplies, cleaning products, and other household goods.

Haulers carrying these essential goods can download and print the permit at transportation.ohio.gov [ [link removed] ].

*COVID-19 OHIO DATA:*

There are 247 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ohio and three deaths. A total of 58 people are hospitalized. Dr. Acton warned that this data is not reflective of the true extent of COVID-19 in Ohio.

"This data is a snapshot of the past because everything points to the fact that we had a seeding of COVID-19 in Ohio early on, yet we were one of the last states to get the reagents we needed to do testing," said Dr. Acton. "This data is not telling the full story of what is happening here. Even the data you see in the future is minimal because we are conserving all our available testing for the most high-risk and hospitalized front line workers. We are withholding most of our testing because we are running out of reagent to conduct these tests."

Deaths: Cuyahoga (1), Erie (1), Lucas (1).

Confirmed cases: Ashland (1), Ashtabula (1), Belmont (2), Butler (16), Clark (1), Clermont (2), Coshocton (2), Cuyahoga (92), Darke (1), Defiance (2), Delaware (4), Erie (1), Franklin (21), Gallia (1), Geauga (1), Hamilton (8), Huron (1), Lake (4), Licking (1), Lorain (14), Lucas (4), Mahoning (14), Marion (1), Medina (9), Miami (11), Montgomery (1), Richland (1), Stark (8), Summit (15), Trumbull (3), Tuscarawas (1), Union (1), Warren (2).

Video of today's full update can be viewed on theOhio Channel's website [ [link removed] ].

For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visitcoronavirus.ohio.gov [ [link removed] ]or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

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