CEDARVILLE, Ohio — Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a story published on May 14, 2021.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine held a 2 p.m. press conference today to update Ohioans on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below, you will find a list of topics that Governor DeWine discussed during the meeting, and what could be next for the state.
New COVID-19 numbers
Per usual, DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health unveiled the latest COVID-19 numbers. Over the weekend, Ohio once again saw a decrease in cases. On Sunday, the state reported just 618 new confirmed cases in a 24 hour period, the smallest number of new cases in almost nine months.
Today, DeWine announced that Ohio has now reached 106.9 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people, the lowest number the state has seen since beginning to report this data.
Ohio vaccine lottery
Following Gov. DeWine's announcement last week that Ohioans who have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be entered into a lottery to win $1 million, the Governor says the state saw an uptick in vaccinations.
DeWine said Monday that vaccine demand among Ohioans aged 30 to 74 was up 6 percent, a stark jump from the 24 percent decrease Ohio had seen in previous weeks.
DeWine also spoke on the Monday morning press conference held by Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud, in which McCloud provided updates on the program which will award five Ohioans with a $1 million prize for receiving the coronavirus vaccine.
McCloud announced that the program is now opt-in only, and that any Ohioan hoping to win will have to enter and be named publicly.
Ohio's adoption of new CDC mask guidelines
During the Monday afternoon press conference, DeWine announced that, effective immediately, Ohio has adopted the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, which allows those who have been vaccinated to stop wearing masks. This does not apply to those who have not been vaccinated.
"The CDC recommendations make clear that businesses will be able to choose for themselves whether they continue to require masks in their premises. If a business chooses to require masking for employees and customers, that is permitted under the CDC guidance and Ohio's order," the new guidance says. "If a business chooses not to require masks and leave that choice to customers and employees, that is also permitted in the CDC guidance and Ohio's order."
Masks are also still recommended in congregate settings, such as nursing homes, daycares, and schools, as well as riding on public transportation, including busses, trains, and airplanes.
New resources for parents considering the COVID-19 vaccine
ODH launched a new Frequently Asked Questions document to answer common questions about the coronavirus vaccines that parents and guardians of children may have.
DeWine stated during the briefing that he hopes the new page will help to ease the minds of mothers, fathers, and caretakers across the state who are unsure about the vaccine but still want to protect their children against COVID-19.
Job openings in Ohio
Following last week's announcement that Ohio will opt out of the additional $300 a week in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted detailed several of the programs and services that the state is now offering to get Ohioans back on their feet.
"Because of the wide availability of both jobs and the vaccine in the state, ODJFS now has several buttons featured prominently on their websites for employers to report former employees who are receiving unemployment but have refused offers of suitable work," a release from the Governor's office states.
Ohioans looking for a job can head over to OhioMeansJobs.com.
Currently, OhioMeansJobs.com has more than 180,000 job openings--with more than half paying above $50,000 per year.
Editor's note: the video in the player below is from a story published on May 14, 2021.
