Governor Mike DeWine, along with Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced the long-awaited details of what’s next for Ohio’s businesses and what steps they need to take to reopen the state amid the COVID-19 outbreak. After issuing orders closing all non-essential businesses in late March, Ohio’s small business community have been waiting to receive guidance from the state on what’s next. Governor DeWine released the below criteria for allowing businesses to reopen:
Ohio’s Safe Business Practices for Getting Back to Work
Require face coverings
• For employees and clients/customers at all times
Conduct daily health assessments
• By employers and employees (self-evaluation) to determine if “fit for duty”
Maintain good hygiene
• At all times-hand washing and social distancing
Clean and sanitize
• Workplaces throughout workday and at the close of business or between shifts
Limit capacity to meet social distancing guidelines
• Establish maximum capacity at 50% of fire code
• And, use appointment setting where possible to limit congestion
On March 17th of this year the Ohio Department of Health prohibited Ohio’s hospitals from performing all elective procedures.
Beginning May 1st Ohio’s hospitals and healthcare providers will be permitted to again perform procedures, which align with the criteria in the original Department of Health order as well as those procedures that do not require an overnight stay in a hospital. Additionally, Governor DeWine announced the opening up of specific industries and areas of the economy beginning May 4th.
May 4th—The first round of business types to open will be those in the areas of Manufacturing, distribution, construction, and general office operations. In addition to these businesses all previously allowed essential businesses will be required to follow the new guidelines.
May 12th— Businesses in the consumer, retail and services areas will be permitted to open. The restrictions on gatherings of 10 individuals or more are still in place, and Governor DeWine kept the restrictions on other business types including restaurants, and large event venues in place for now
Businesses to remain closed as of 4/28/2020
- Gambling industries
- Auditoriums, stadiums, arenas
- Movie theaters, performance theaters, and concert and music halls
- Public recreation centers and indoor sports facilities
- Parades, fairs, festivals, and carnivals
- Amusement parks, theme parks, outdoor water parks, children’s play centers, playgrounds, and funplexes
- Aquariums, zoos. museums, historical sites, and similar institutions
- Country clubs and social clubs
- Spectator sports, recreational sports tournaments and organized recreational sports leagues
- Health clubs, fitness centers, workout facilities, gyms, and yoga studios
- Swimming pools, whether public or private, except swimming pools for single households
- Residential and day camps
- Campgrounds, including recreational camps and recreational vehicle (RV) parks
- Excludes people living in campground RV’s with no other viable place of residence
- Excludes people living in cabins. mobile homes, or other fixed structures that are meant for single families where preexisting residential activity already has been established (E.g. for people who have part-time pre-established residences at campgrounds for the summer months)
For additional information, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov