COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) have extended the current 10 p.m.- 5 a.m. curfew in the state.
"Today, the Ohio Department of Health is extending the curfew order. This curfew order will go until January 2, 2021," DeWine said. "In the next 21 days, it really is vitally important that all of us do everything we can to slow this virus down."
The Governor said that despite rising cases, he believes that this curfew order has had a positive impact on slowing down the spread of the Coronavirus in Ohio.
"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," Governor DeWine said explaining the extension of the curfew.
The original curfew was announced by Governor DeWine on November 17 and was set to expire after a 21-day period.
"We did this because we needed to relieve pressure on our hospitals and strained healthcare system," DeWine said on Thursday. "We took this approach to encourage Ohioans to reduce their unnecessary contacts with others outside their household and to cut back on social gatherings."
At the time of its announcement, Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted called the curfew an attempt at a "slowdown," rather than a "shutdown."
You can watch the full Thursday afternoon press briefing in the player below: