Ohio pharmacies to offer tests for virus

Outdoor visits to resume June 8 at assisted living centers, other facilities.

Ohioans may soon be able to get tests for the coronavirus in pharmacies across the state, Gov. Mike DeWine said on Thursday.

CVS announced Thursday that it will offer drive-thru testing at 34 pharmacies in Ohio, including locations in Dayton, Hamilton and Springboro.

The governor also announced that beginning June 8 outdoor visits can resume at assisted living centers and care centers for those with developmental disabilities. DeWine described it as a first step toward resuming visits for the more than 100,000 Ohioans who live in assisted living centers and nursing homes.

He also said local officials can make decisions about whether to open county, independent and junior fairs. He asked that they work closely with their local health departments and follow guidance on social distancing.

DeWine said an update on zoos, amusement parks and other outdoor entertainment will hopefully come next week.

On Tuesday, pools, fitness centers, bowling alleys, batting cages, Ohio BMV offices and mini golf

were able to reopen.

Starting May 31, childcare centers are available to reopen with reduced staff- to-child ratios.

On June 1, catering and banquet halls can reopen to crowds of 300 or less. Tables must be spaced 6 feet apart and congregating is not allowed.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to be a dual crisis: health and economic.

The state reported 42,082 new jobless claims for the week ending May 23, boosting the total claims filed over the past 10 weeks to 1.26 mil- lion. Ohio has distributed $3.1 billion in jobless benefits over the past 10 weeks to 644,000 workers.

The Ohio Department of He a lth on Thursday reported 31,625 confirmed cases, plus 2,290 probable cases; 5,811 hospitalizations; 1,888 deaths, plus 210 deaths attributed to probable cases.

DeWine declined to speculate on whether he and his wife Fran will attend the Republican National Convention in North Carolina in late August — a mass gathering that typically draws hundreds of thousands of people inside an arena.

When asked about longterm lessons from the pandemic, DeWine said his take away is that America needs to invest in public health and build critical medical supplies, such as testing kits, in the U.S., rather than rely on manufacturers based in China and elsewhere.