Gov. Dewine slams impeachment effort by fellow Republicans
COLUMBUS – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine rebuffed efforts by fellow Republicans to impeach him over his response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Dewine said he wished people who question the severity of the pandemic would listen to the nurses and health care professionals who say conditions are getting worse at their hospitals and to families who didn’t take the virus seriously and have lost loved ones during the pandemic.
“At some point, this foolishness has got to stop,” Dewine said. “I’m not talking about most Ohioans – just a small number of people who for whatever reason just continue to think and act this is some big joke and this is all some fantasy.”
A handful of state Republican lawmakers led by Rep. John Becker of Clermont County filed articles of impeachment against Dewine on Monday. Becker said the legislation would be referred to a committee he chairs and was confident it would be passed before the end of the session next month.
House Speaker Bob Cupp previously said the impeachment effort would not advance in his chamber.
Employees still work from home
While Ohio awaits a coronavirus vaccine, Dewine is encouraging more people to work from home and avoid holiday travel.
State employees were schedule to start returning to the office in early January, but Dewine said that will again be postponed. Dewine is asking all employers and employees to work from home if they can.
Dewine said everyone paring back the contacts they have with others by about 20% would make a difference.
“I’m just asking every Ohioan – pull back more,” he said during a Monday coronavirus briefing.
Last week, Dewine announced the state would get its first batch of vaccines – about 30,000 doses – around Dec. 15 if Pfizer receives federal approval as expected. A second vaccine from Moderna is expected to follow about a week later.
The first batches of immunizations will be targeted to health care providers and people who work in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Hospitals feeling the strain in ICUS
One-third of patients in Ohio hospital intensive care units have COVID-19. A record 1,180 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds on Monday, more than two times the 449 patients on Nov. 1.
Statewide, 5,060 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized on Monday. That has led some hospitals to limit or halt elective surgeries that require hospital stays.
“The reality is hospitals are making difficult decisions about delaying care,” said Dr. Andrew Thomas of Ohio State
University’s Wexner Medical Center.
One hospital in northern Ohio recently acquired a refrigerated truck to serve as extra morgue space, he said.
6,631 new COVID-19 cases
Ohio reported 6,631 new COVID-19 cases and 30 new coronavirus deaths on Monday.
The number of cases is likely higher, but the state is still behind in reporting positive antigen tests.
As of Monday, Ohio had a backlog of 7,500 tests because health officials have been verifying that those individuals either had close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus or a doctor’s diagnosis before counting them as probable cases.
Dewine said the state would soon stop taking that step, which is not required by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The percent of coronavirus tests returning positive was 14.9% on Saturday.