COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the statewide curfew aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 reached its 21-day expiration, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a three-week extension until Jan 2, 2021.
"We believe that the curfew, along with the enforcement of mask wearing in retail that was also started about the same time, have had an impact," Gov. DeWine announced during his afternoon press conference Thursday. "They have not been able to slow it enough, but they've had an impact."
The curfew, which first went into effect on Thursday, Nov. 19, has the goal of keeping Ohioans home during the restricted hours in an effort to limit potential contacts.
Although targeted at individuals, non-essential businesses are also expected to close during the curfew’s hours, which fall nightly between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
There is a new exception added to this curfew extension, however, that will not impact those attending a handful of outdoor sporting events -- including the upcoming Monday Night Football battle between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Here’s Gov. DeWine briefly addressing the need to extend Ohio’s curfew:
In addition to the sporting event exclusion, the curfew does NOT impact the following:
- People going to or from work.
- Those who have an emergency.
- Those who need medical care.
- Grocery shopping.
- Going to the pharmacy.
- Picking up carryout or a drive-thru meal. Delivery is also permitted.
- Yes, you can still take your dog outside or go for a walk.
"The curfew is aimed at helping to reduce the number of person-to-person contacts because the only way virus lives is when it goes from one person to another," he said in a press release when the curfew was initially announced last month. "We have to flatten this curve again and get this under control."
Gov. DeWine’s office said the decision to impose the curfew was made with input from the medical and business communities with consideration to the economic and mental health impacts that another shutdown could cause.
Why 10 p.m.?
"We picked 10 o’clock because we thought that would not hurt business a lot, although you’ll hear from people who own restaurants and bars that it’s certainly a big change," Gov. DeWine said in Cleveland last month. "We felt 10 o’clock would not be devastating to restaurants, bars and other places."
How do you feel about the curfew? Are you in favor of extending it? Tell us your thoughts in the post below:
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