COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday, Gov. Mike DeWine held a press conference on the coronavirus pandemic in Ohio, just hours before a statewide face mask mandate is set to take effect.
Beginning at 6 p.m., residents of all Ohio counties will be required to wear the coverings in most public spaces. Exceptions will be made for young children or those with certain health conditions, and officials have emphasized they are not looking to arrest anyone unless the violations are blatant enough to warrant it.
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Previously, only the counties under a Level 3 "red" alert of the state's COVID-19 advisory system were included in the mandate. The advisories will remain in place to give Ohioans an idea of just how much the virus is spreading in their area, and the latest info will be given this afternoon.
RELATED: Gov. DeWine points to gatherings in Cleveland, Ashtabula, Mansfield leading to COVID-19 cases
DeWine's remarks come under a cloud of continuing controversy, as they come just two days after Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder's arrest in a multi-million-dollar bribery investigation tied to a nuclear plant bailout bill. The governor has called on Householder to resign (the speaker has yet to do so) and has denied his office had any involvement in the racketeering scheme while at the same time defending the merits of House Bill 6.
3News will carry DeWine's comments live both on television and our website as well as on our Facebook and YouTube pages starting at 2 p.m.
CORONAVIRUS IN OHIO: Up-to-date case numbers & trends