Dewine lifting virus orders, plans incentive
Social distancing, mask orders end June 2; shot at $1M for getting one.
Wearing masks, social distancing and nearly all other coronavirus-related health orders will end in three weeks in Ohio, and residents who get vaccinated have a chance at a $1 million prize.
“It is time to end the health orders,” Gov. Mike Dewine said Wednesday during his fourth primetime address on the state’s COVID-19 progress.
Lifting the health orders means each person will make their own decisions about wearing masks, social distancing and other protective measures, Dewine said.
The end of health orders will take effect June 2.
“The virus is more dangerous than ever to those who are not vaccinated,” he said. “There comes a time when individual responsibility must take over.”
Businesses will still be allowed to set their own policies regarding their employees and customers, Dewine said. He expects many stores will continue to require social distancing, and some might require masks inside still.
Dewine said children 12 and older can start to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting today in Ohio as the result of FDA approval.
He noted that his wife Fran and he have a number of grandchildren.
“We are so happy that they too will be able to get the vaccine,” Dewine said of the new approval for those 12 and older.
Vaccinating children will help control the pandemic even further, he said.
As an incentive, Dewine announced $1 million drawings for adults and similar drawings for college schol- arships for those 12 to 17 who are vaccinated.
“Ohio — let’s do this. Let’s get it done. Let’s get everyone vaccinated. Because we are Ohioans, we are Buckeyes, we are strong, and we will finish the job,” he said.
Dewine also reported some positive statistics com- pared to other states from the Centers and Disease Control and Prevention.
“Ohio’s cases per 100,000 are the lowest compared to all its neighboring states,” Dewine said.
The governor notes Ohio’s hospitalizations have declined since the vaccine rollout, and rates have decreased substantially in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
He pointed to a Cleveland Clinic study of patients from Jan. 1 through April 15 that showed nearly 100 percent of those hospitalized had not been vaccinated.
He called it real-world evidence from the Buckeye State that vaccines are effective.
“The danger of remaining unvaccinated remains clear,” Dewine said, adding. “The vaccinated among us feel liberated.”
Those who he talked to as they received their doses spoke to Dewine about hugging heir grandchildren, going out to eat and going to a ballgame as some of the things they looked forward to doing.
Details on the state’s new incentives are expected to be released soon, but DEW- ine also noted perks that businesses have given their employees and called for others to do the same.
Ohio’s incentives will be paid for using federal pandemic relief funds, DEWine said.
Ohio has reported fewer than 1,500 new coronavirus cases for 11 straight days. In the past 24 hours, 1,449 new cases were reported, bringing the state to a total of 1,087,182 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.
The current 21-day case average is 1,371 cases per day, the Ohio Department of Health reported.
The Ohio Hospital Asso- ciation reported just under 1,000 current coronavirus hospitalizations, an 11% drop in patients in the past week. Currently, about one in 21 patients are COVID-19 pos- itive. The ODH reported 173 hospitalizations and 14 intensive care unit admissions in the past 24 hours.