COLUMBUS, Ohio — The details of Ohio's plan to reopen its economy starting on Friday were revealed by Gov. Mike DeWine during Monday's COVID-19 media briefing in Columbus.
On May 1, all health procedures that do not require an overnight hospital stay can resume. Dentists and veterinarians can also begin full steam ahead on May 1.
On May 4, manufacturing, distribution, and construction will be opened up. Also, general office environments are being allowed to reopen. However, DeWine says the state still wants people to work from home as much as possible.
Consumer and retail stores can reopen on May 12. "We've gotten this far - but we have a ways to go. These are the first steps. I know there are other things we all want to do - get a haircut, go to restaurants - but we have to see how we are doing with COVID-19 first," DeWine added.
But it won't be "back to business" as totally usual come May 12 for stores, as employees and customers alike will be required to wear masks or face coverings in places of business.
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DeWine added that the state's stay-at-home order will still be in place. "For gatherings, the order of no more than 10 people will remain," he told the briefing.
The Ohio Department of Health reports that there are now 16,325 cases of coronavirus in the state. 753 people have died due to COVID-19, 3,232 have been hospitalized.
You can watch the entire briefing from Monday in the player below:
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