04/04/2020

2020-04-04 OH Gov. DeWine on COVID-19

Last Updated: 04/04/20 (Updated daily at 2 p.m.) - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/ 

Barring a pressing need, the Governor announced that there will be no briefing tomorrow.

New orders/actions/measures

• The Governor signed an order authorizing an additional expansion of telehealth services.  The new order covers individual counselors, social workers and family and marriage counselors.  It also allows for coverage without a first time in-person appointment.

The Governor encouraged everyone to wear masks while in public.  He wants everyone to remember that wearing a mask does not mean the individual is sick and it is not a replacement for social distancing.  This is not a requirement, just a strong encouragement.  There are instructions and tips on cloth masks at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/covid-19-checklists/cloth-face-coverings-covid-19-checklist.

Governor DeWine again encouraged hospitals to send their N-95 masks to Battelle for sterilization.  In addition to ramping up production here in Ohio, the state is still trying to procure more of the N-95 masks and other PPE for healthcare workers.  The Governor said they are looking for it everywhere they can and in fact are expecting a shipment on Tuesday, when he hopes to have more information. 

Lt. Governor Husted reminded everyone that many of the state’s internet companies have programs to allow people to get or keep access to the internet and they have set up free wi-fi hotspots around the state.  He also encouraged everyone to remember to participate in the Census and vote.

Director Ursel McElroy of the Ohio Department of Aging joined the press conference via Skype to discuss the resources the Department has in place to help seniors - https://aging.ohio.gov/coronavirus.  She particularly highlighted the food programs they have in place and thanked providers and volunteers who are enabling the delivery programs. 

Dr. Acton presented some more information on the deaths that have happened thus far.  She did first note that data on deaths does lag behind other data and that it is likely too early to draw many conclusions.  Of the 102 deaths to date, the median age thus far is 78 years old.  Though most deaths have occurred amongst the elderly, there have been people under the age of 50 that have died.  She also provided some data on mobility changes as a result of the stay at home order – from cell usage data, use is down at workplaces, transit stations, retail and pharmacies, but up in parks and in homes.  All slides will be available on the Coronavirus.ohio.gov site later today.

Note: For an archive of all COVID-19 related First Alerts from Calfee, which are separate from these emails and focused on specific business topics, please visit the Calfee COVID-19 Resource Center: https://www.calfee.com/covid-19-resource-center

Other items of note

• New York’s death toll from coronavirus on Saturday surpassed 3,500 as confirmed cases rose to 113,704. 
• Confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States surpassed 300,000 on Saturday, with more than 8,000 deaths.
• Official Chinese statistics put Wuhan’s coronavirus death toll at 2,563. Evidence coming out of the city suggests it was actually more than 40,000.
• Italy reported 681 fatalities overnight, bringing the death toll in the hard-hit European nation to 15,362. But for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak, the use of intensive care unit beds fell, Italian authorities said — a rare bit of good news.

Key websites

General state updates - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/

Data dashboard - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/dashboard

Ventilator inventory - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/vent-inventory. 

Ohio Manufacturing Alliance to Fight COVID-19 - https://repurposingproject.com/ 

Election information - https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/  

Closure order FAQ - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/Stay-at-Home-Information/Stay-At-Home-Order-Frequently-Asked-Questions

Unemployment compensation - http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/CoronavirusAndUI.stm

Mental health resources - https://mha.ohio.gov/Health-Professionals/About-Mental-Health-and-Addiction-Treatment/Emergency-Preparedness/Coronavirus

Ohio benefits application - https://benefits.ohio.gov/

SharedWork Ohio - http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/SharedWorkOhio/

Support resources for adults - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/resources/resources-for-adults-coping-with-the-covid-19-pandemic

Find your local health district - https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/find-local-health-districts

Job openings - https://jobseeker.ohiomeansjobs.monster.com/home.aspx

COVID-19 checklists - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/COVID-19-Checklists/ 

Business resources - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/resources-for-economic-support

Banking pandemic resources and relief programs - https://www.ohiobankersleague.com/customers 

Pandemic child care center information - http://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/CoronavirusAndChildcareForFamilies/ 

Checklist for essential travel - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/stay-at-home-information/essential-travel