As he does each Thursday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will hold a press briefing to address the state's response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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What follows are some of the topics Gov. DeWine is likely to discuss during his press conference, which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET and can be seen in the video player above, on Channel 3 and our YouTube page.
New mandates
During a statewide address on Wednesday evening, DeWine announced that he would be reissuing Ohio's mask order, with new requirements for businesses to follow the policy or potentially face punishment. DeWine also said that he would soon be issuing new orders regarding gatherings and activities, which could be made public as soon as Thursday.
In addition to requiring masks and restricting gatherings, DeWine said that he would spend the coming weeks evaluating whether to close bars, restaurants, fitness centers and schools. After not taking questions from the press on Wednesday, Thursday will mark the first opportunity for DeWine to be pressed on his pending decisions and what type of indicators he'll be monitoring.
Election news
While the television networks have declared Democratic nominee Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump has yet to publicly accept the result. A supporter of President Trump's, DeWine will likely be asked about the matter on Thursday, although it's worth noting that during an appearance on CNN earlier in the day, he referred to Biden as the country's "President-Elect."
“I think that we need to consider the former vice president as the president-elect. Joe Biden is the president-elect.” Gov. DeWine said Thursday morning just days after previously issuing a statement in which he congratulated Biden. “The President and his campaign has every right to go into court. Our courts are open. Our courts are the best place, frankly, to adjudicate facts. I’m a former prosecutor. I’m a great believer in the ability to have your courts and go into make a case. They have every right to do that, and that looks like what they’re trying to do.”
Public health advisory
As DeWine continues to implement new restrictions, the reality remains that the state's coronavirus numbers are continuing to surge. That could be evident in Ohio's Public Health Advisory color-coded map, which is released each Thursday to paint a picture of how the virus is trending in each county in the state.
To this point, no county in Ohio has reached Level 4 "Purple," which indicates severe spread and exposure of the coronavirus. Considering the state's recent numbers, however, it may only be a matter of time before that changes.
You can watch DeWine's full press briefing in the YouTube player below.
