Ohio festivals, fairs expected to return

State moves closer to target for removing pandemic restrictions.

Ohioans anxious for life to return to pre-pandemic norms should note Thursday’s news from Gov. Mike DeWine: full versions of county fairs are expected this year.

And guidelines also are coming in the next week regarding proms, graduations, parades and festivals, but DeWine said Thursday the good news is that they can happen.

Some limitations are expected for county fairs, including face masks and social distancing. However, DeWine noted the chance that more health orders will be lifted once Ohio gets further into fair season, if the state is able to control the virus.

Ohioans continue to make progress toward lifting all the state’s public health orders, reporting 155 cases per 100,000 residents.

DeWine announced last week that, if the state can get below 50 cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, all public health orders will

be lifted, such as mask wearing and limits on capacities in public spaces.

“This is great progress. This is still a very elevated level, but the data is certainly trending in the right direction,” the governor said.

The number of cases per 100,000 residents has continued to decrease this year following the state’s peak in mid-December at 845.5 cases per 100,000 people.

As of Thursday, Meigs and Vinton counties were the only two in the state below 50 cases per 100,000. However, both Preble and Harrison counties were just above the marker, with 53.2 and 56.3 cases per 100,000 over the last two weeks.

DeWine has faced pressure from members of his own party to end his orders, and state lawmakers have voted in favor of a bill that would weaken public health powers, such as orders to stay at home, close businesses, avoid crowds or wear masks. DeWine vowed to veto the measure, but lawmakers think they have enough votes to override a veto.

D eWine said the bill “clearly” violates the separation of powers.

“The bill is unconstitutional,” he said. “If the bill become law, it would grant the general assembly the ability to overturn and modify lawful actions of executive branch. Not by passing a bill, which is the way it should be done, but by passing something called a concurrent resolution.”

More guidance about parades, festivals, graduations and proms will come in the next week, the governor said.

Student athletes will no longer be required to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID in the classroom as long as they don’t have symptoms, DeWine said. More information about guidelines for spring sports is also expected to be released this week.

“The good news is spring sports are basically outside,” DeWine said.

Ohio will allow visits in a long-term care facility resident’s room again, DeWine announced. It is not clear when the visitations will resume.

DeWine and Ohio Department of Aging Director Ursel McElroy also discussed new federal guidelines for nursing home visitations.

Facilities should allow responsible visitation at all times regardless of vaccination status of the resident or visitor, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Some exceptions are included based off the county’s virus positivity or if a facility is experiencing an outbreak.

McElroy stressed that compassionate care visits are still allowed regardless of expectations.

If someone is having issues scheduling a visit, they can contact their ombudsman at OhioOmbudsman@age. ohio.gov or 1-800-282-1206.

Ohio reported 1,448 daily cases of coronavirus Thursday, as the state continues to remain the 2,000 case mark.

The state has recoded 984,934 total cases during the pandemic and averaged 1,788 cases a day over the last 21 days, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Ten ICU admissions and 112 hospitalizations were reported on Thursday, bringing Ohio’s total to 7,255 and 51,323 respectively.

Thursday marked the first day that Ohioans ages 50 and older, as well as people with type 2 diabetes and endstage renal disease were eligible to be vaccinated. DeWine announced that he was expanding vaccine groups earlier this week after some providers still had vaccine appointments available.

As of Thursday, 2,157,525 people in Ohio have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 1,241,441 have finished the vaccine.

Registration is now open for a long-term mass vaccination site in Cleveland. The site is launching on Wednesday and already has 17,000 people signed up, DeWine said.

Anyone who is eligible for the vaccine can sign up for an appointment at getthe shot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.