‘This is not over,’ DeWine warns as stay-at-home extended to May 1
COLUMBUS — In Thursday's coronavirus briefing, Gov. Mike DeWine reminded Ohioans that their daily choices affect the health of the entire community.
"We are in a race," said DeWine. "What we do each day impacts our defenders."
Our failure to take this virus seriously affects healthcare workers, first responders and those who work at nursing homes, he said.
Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton predicted that Ohio will experience the peak of the pandemic between April 15 and May 15, with anticipation of up to 10,000 new cases per day, officials have said.
For that reason, Ohio's stay-at-home order has been extended to May 1 and made more restrictive, DeWine announced Thursday.
The state's current stay-at-home order closed all but those businesses deemed "essential" — such as grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies — and restricted in-person gatherings.
The current order expires Monday (April 6) at midnight when the new order begins.
The new order:
• Requires retail businesses to establish a maximum number of people allowed inside at one time
• Extends state gathering restrictions to wedding receptions
• Orders anyone traveling to Ohio to quarantine for 14 days
• Creates a dispute resolution panel to deal with similar businesses being treated differently
Read the complete order here.
"We are still in this," said DeWine. "This is not over with yet. We don't know when we're going to hit the peak."
The new order omits restrictions on the use of parks. This week, local first responders have noticed people continuing to congregate outside.
Acton called on young people to take the disease seriously, especially as the weather gets warmer.
"I do need to let you know that young people are being hospitalized. Young people are dying from this," said Acton. "I know we all feel invincible at times. It's been humbling to see that everyone in every age range can be affected by this disease."
Acton also reminded Ohioans that, a peak in the pandemic is anticipated, "that peak stretches out."
The peak won't be one day, but rather, many days with high rates of hospitalization. Emerging from the peak "takes us well into the time of June," Acton said.
Of the state's 2,902 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 28 percent have required hospitalization, including 9 percent in intensive care units, Acton said. Statewide, there have been 81 deaths.
Mahoning County reported 192 total cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 99 are men and 93 are women, with ages ranging up to at least 80 years old and including one child. Eighty-seven of those people have been hospitalized.
Eleven of those people have died, including: a man in his sixties who died March 23; a man in his eighties who died March 24; a woman in her eighties who died March 25; a man in his seventies who died March 26; a man in his eighties who died March 27; a man in his eighties who died March 28; a man in his eighties who died a man in his fifties who died March 30; a man and a woman in their seventies who both died March 30; a woman in her eighties who died March 30; and a man in his seventies who died April 1.
After leading for two days, Mahoning County's 11 reported COVID-19 deaths is the second-highest amount among all Ohio's 88 counties behind the 12 reported in Cuyahoga County, according to the state's COVID-19 dashboard, which presents confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths in each county.
Trumbull County reported 68 total cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 30 are men and 38 are women, with ages ranging from 25 to 87 years old. Forty of those people have been hospitalized.
Six of those people have died, including: a man in his eighties who died March 25; a woman in her sixties who died March 27; a man in his seventies who died March 28; a woman in her seventies who died March 30; a man in his sixties who died April 1; and a man in his eighties who also died April 1.
Columbiana County reported 23 total cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 14 are men and nine are women, with ages ranging from 20 to at least 80 years old. Sixteen of those people have been hospitalized.
Two of those people have died, including a man in his eighties who died March 26 and a woman in her seventies who died March 29.
The Ohio Department of Health has tested samples from 64 Columbiana County residents, 30 of which returned negative results, or about 57 percent.
Here are other developments from Thursday around the state and nation:
• According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday, there are 7,016 COVID-19 cases in the state which have led to 90 deaths. There are 16 cases in Lawrence County with 2 deaths; 9 cases in Mercer County with no known deaths.
• More than 6.6 million Americans filed unemployment claims last week as more businesses were forced to lay off and furlough workers because of the coronavirus pandemic.
• Pennsylvania jobless claims approached 1 million over the course of the past month due to ongoing coronavirus business closures. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry received about 196,000 additional requests for benefits through Wednesday.
• All Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County locations will remain closed until further notice, in accordance with the governor's extension of the stay-at-home order. However, the American Red Cross will host a blood drive at the Austintown Library on April 7 and at the Poland Library on April 10. For appointments, call 1-800-RedCross or go to www.redcrossblood.org.
• Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine report initial success in animal trials for a vaccine to neutralize the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers released their findings Thursday in a paper published in a leading British medical journal.
• The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, the Raymond John Wean Foundation and the Youngstown Foundation have teamed up to create the COVID-19 Crisis Relief Application to simplify the grant request process for nonprofits addressing impacts of the pandemic.
• In response to COVID-19 pandemic challenges, the Farmers Charitable Foundation is donating $25,000 to regional charities including food banks, food delivery services and regional food sources.
• The U.S. Department of Treasury reversed its order late Wednesday and will now allow Social Security recipients who typically do not file taxes to receive their $1,200 coronavirus stimulus check automatically without submitting additional documents. John Saulitis, ombudsman director for Direction Home of Eastern Ohio, said the stimulus payments would be a "big advantage" for area seniors living in nursing homes. Even those who also receive Medicaid benefits would receive one, and it wouldn't count toward income for Medicaid purposes, he said.
• Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown announced via a news release Thursday that DeWine's dispatch of National Guard units across the state includes assistance in the Mahoning Valley. Locally, the National Guard is performing logistical tasks, like distributing supplies and scouting sites for mobile hospitals.
• Mercy Health reported Thursday it intends to temporarily lay off 700 workers system-wide in order to reallocate resources toward combating the spread of COVID-19. Mercy Health employs more than 60,000 people at medical facilities in Ohio and Kentucky, including St. Elizabeth's hospitals in Youngstown and Boardman and St. Joseph Warren Hospital. It is currently unclear how many local workers are being laid off. "With elective procedures and services canceled and unanticipated expenditures being directed to COVID-19 response activities, we're facing hard decisions over the short term," said spokesperson Jonathon Fauvie. "Our resources — people, supplies and finances — must be dedicated specifically to responding to COVID-19."
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 4:26 AM with the headline "‘This is not over,’ DeWine warns as stay-at-home extended to May 1."