Throughout the week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was joined by Lt. Governor Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton M.D., MPH, and provided the following updates on Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as announced? new opening dates established as part of the Responsible RestartOhio plan.
On Tuesday, Governor DeWine announced the formation of new Congregate Care Unified Response Teams, which include medically-trained members of the Ohio National Guard.? The teams will begin testing residents and staff within nursing homes on two parallel paths:?
All staff in all Ohio nursing facilities will be tested to gauge the status of the virus in their facilities and help isolate the virus to stop it from infecting their community.
Testing will be conducted in facilities where residents or workers have confirmed or assumed positive cases. Testing will be conducted on all staff, and the testing of residents will be based on a clinically-driven strategy that targets those who have likely been exposed to COVID-19.? By testing residents based on their potential interaction with a confirmed COVID-19 case, the nursing facility will be better equipped to isolate the virus and contain spread within the facility.
In addition, the Congregate Care Unified Response Teams will begin the testing of all residents and staff members in the state?s eight developmental centers to try to limit the spread of COVID-19 in these facilities.? ?
On Thursday, Governor DeWine announced that the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy has clarified rules that allow pharmacists to order and administer tests for COVID-19.?
To help Ohioans find testing locations, a map has been added to coronavirus.ohio.gov that lists COVID-19 testing centers in Ohio. The map includes links to community health centers and pharmacy sites to assist citizens in finding information about how to get a test referral or schedule an appointment.
Under the guidance of clinical experts, Governor DeWine announced that Ohio has modified priorities in light of changes in testing availability and evolving knowledge of COVID-19 and its impact on Ohioans.
Testing must be first available to individuals described in Priority Groups 1, 2 and 3, but Ohio is expanding to allow testing in Priority Group 4, which includes testing ?individuals in the community to decrease community spread, including individuals with symptoms who do not meet any of the above categories.?
Additionally, beginning on June 8, 2020, properly prepared assisted living facilities and?intermediate care facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities can begin to allow outdoor visitation.
The lifted restrictions do not yet apply to nursing homes.?
The decision to move forward with outdoor visitation for assisted living facilities and intermediate care facilities was made? with input from advocates and providers in the aging and development disabilities communities, as well as families and residents.? Guidelines for visitation were jointly developed by the Academy for Senior Health Sciences, Leading Age Ohio, the Ohio Assisted Living Association, the Ohio Health Care Association, and the Ohio Medical Director?s Association.
Because each facility is different, each facility will determine how to best implement outdoor visitations,?however, at a minimum, all facilities must develop a policy that includes:
Screening for temperatures and symptom-reporting for visitors
Scheduled hours and time limits for visits
Proper social distancing measures
Face coverings
Resident, family, and friend education about the risks of the spread of COVID-19
Consideration for visitors during end-of-life situations will also be expanded. Providers should notify family members when a resident's substantial change of condition indicates end-of-life is approaching. Providers should not wait until a resident is actively dying to allow visitors.
Also, the Ohio Bureau of Workers? Compensation (BWC) is deferring Ohio employers' premium installments for the months of June, July, and August. Businesses will have the option to defer the monthly premium payments with no financial penalties.?
This is the second payment deferral BWC has given to employers amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.? The deferral is designed to help employers focus financial resources on re-opening their businesses under the Responsible RestartOhio Plan.
Governor DeWine's Fair Advisory Group?has released guidelines for how county fair boards and agricultural societies can work with county health departments to safely operate junior fairs for kids.
Additionally, Lt. Governor Husted announced that 150 Ohio companies have been approved for TechCred funding.
In order to support the changing needs of Ohio businesses and workers during the economic recovery, following the COVID-19 crisis, the following changes have been made to the TechCred program:
To make TechCred more flexible for upskilling new hires, employers are no longer required to list employee names when applying for TechCred. Instead, they will identify the number of current or prospective employees they will upskill.
To account for possible staffing changes, employers who were awarded in the October 2019, January 2020, and March 2020 rounds of TechCred may now substitute employees listed in their original application.
Employers awarded in October 2019 and January 2020, who had credential programs interrupted by the crisis, may request to extend their 18-month award eligibility timeline.
Employees can now earn multiple credentials during each application period.
The next application period of the TechCred program will open June 1st and run through June and run through June 30th.?
On Saturday, Governor DeWine?granted a request from Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan to activate the Ohio National Guard to assist in responding to incidents of violence during demonstrations within the City of Columbus.?Governor DeWine also ordered the Ohio State Highway Patrol to help enforce the criminal laws within the city.
The following can be attributed to Governor DeWine:
"The majority of demonstrators want simply to be heard, and we welcome the voices of the individuals who are focusing attention on the tragic death of George Floyd and on other injustices. But, sadly, these voices calling for justice and change are being drowned out by a smaller group of violent individuals who threaten the safety of the citizens of our community.?Acts of violence will not be accepted nor tolerated.? This violence must stop.
"I am activating our National Guard to drive out hate and violence and to instill order.? This is about the safety of our communities - our neighbors, our families, and our friends.?It is about protecting from unnecessary destruction the small businesses that our fellow Ohioans have worked so hard to create. It?is also about protecting the First Amendment and creating the environment for peaceful protests so that people can be heard, so that voices are not stifled, so that justice can prevail, and so that love, kindness, compassion, and peace can triumph over hate and violence.
"I understand that people are angry and?have pent up rage.?I understand that we are living in very uncertain times right now in this country.?But it is in these times of uncertainty and? division that we must call upon the 'better angels of our nature' and come together as one state and as one people to care for one another, to value one another, and to protect one another."
Mayor Ginther also implemented a city-wide curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. beginning tonight.?
Additionally, Governor DeWine granted a request from Cleveland Mayor?Frank Jackson and Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams to activate the Ohio National Guard to assist in responding to incidents of violence during demonstrations within the City of Cleveland.?
In keeping with the Memorial Day tradition of a wreath-laying ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse, Governor DeWine placed a wreath at Veterans Plaza in remembrance of the men and women who sacrificed their lives in service to their country.?
"Each Memorial Day we remember those throughout history who gave their lives to protect the freedoms we know today," said Governor DeWine. "Although we could not gather together to pay tribute to these brave Americans this year, it is still important to take time to recognize the meaning of Memorial Day and remember Ohio's fallen service members."?
Additionally, Governor DeWine issued the following statement on Tuesday about threats of violence made over the weekend against Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes and State Senator Vernon Sykes.
"I was very disturbed to learn that threats of violence were made over the weekend against Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes and State Senator Vernon Sykes.? ?It is wrong.? It is reprehensible, and it is unconscionable to threaten someone with violence for doing the job they were elected to do.
"Simply put: hatred has no place in Ohio, and violence will not be tolerated."? ??
As of Sunday afternoon, there are?35,513 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio and?2,155 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths. A total of?6,049 people have been hospitalized, including 1,556 admissions to intensive care units.?In-depth data can be accessed by visiting?coronavirus.ohio.gov.?
For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit?coronavirus.ohio.gov?or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.
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