03/23/2020

2020-03-23 OH Gov. DeWine on COVID-19

 

Monday, March 23	442 Confirmed Cases	46 Number of Counties in Ohio	104 Number of Hospitalizations	6 Number of Deaths
Sunday, March 22	351 Confirmed Cases	40 Number of Counties in Ohio	83 Number of Hospitalizations	3 Number of Deaths
Saturday, March 21	247 Confirmed Cases	33 Number of Counties in Ohio	58 Number of Hospitalizations	3 Number of Deaths

Last Updated: 03/22/20 (Updated daily at 2 p.m.) - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/ 

 

Reminder – the stay at home order goes into effect at 11:59:59 pm tonight.  We’ve attached the order and the incorporated CISA guidance for anyone who has not had a chance to review.

 

New orders/actions/measures

 

• The Governor ordered an immediate hiring freeze for state government, except any hires directly related to fighting COVID-19. 
• The Governor also announced a freeze on new contract services and directed cabinet officials to find cuts of up to 20% in their departments, while acknowledging that some can't meet that goal due to the nature of their missions.
• Multiple projects before the Controlling Board will be delayed.

 

In response to questions about supply chain businesses and the stay at home order – Lt. Governor Husted stressed that the administration is not in a position to answer whether an individual business is covered by the order.  That individual businesses know best as to whether they qualify directly or as part of the supply chain.  But he and the Governor both stressed that the order is two part – if a business cannot also enact the protocols (cleaning, social distancing, monitoring, etc.), even if they are “essential,” then they cannot stay open.  The Governor also said that he has and is in the process of talking to sheriffs, police chiefs and mayors on enforcement.  He said they aren’t looking to see a lot of arrests or citations issued, but if there is a violation and law enforcement/health department become aware, he would assume they would investigate and act according to common sense enforcement principles – whether that is a warning or a citation or further action. 

 

Dr. Acton provided an update on the state’s nursing homes.  She commended facilities and their staff for their tireless dedication to their residents, particularly as more infection clusters emerge.  She asked that all hospitals report their data to the Dept. of Health and the CDC as soon as possible, private labs are lagging behind.  The hospitals are currently still at about 75% capacity – which is typical for flu season.  Dr. Acton said the hospitals are putting together an update on that data and more and will be available later this week to provide more information.  And to primary care physicians, she encouraged the use of the newly expanded telehealth services to keep people at home and be thorough on taking histories and requiring isolation. 

 

The state’s supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) is limited.  What the state has in its cache is going out today – save a 20% holdback for future clusters.  The state is waiting on federal supplies.  The Dept. is also working with local businesses to start production in-state.

 

The Lt. Governor said he just finished a conference call with Vice President Pence on the work of the federal government.  They are working with Congress to pass the next phase of stimulus to help state and local governments respond.  Lt. Governor Husted again stressed that he and the Governor are serious about the closure order and keeping non-essential businesses closed.  Husted, a former House Speaker, also supported the Governor in talking about the early actions the state will have to take to keep the state’s budget balanced. 

 

The Governor also highlighted the Dept. of Job and Family Services website for pandemic daycare center information - http://jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/CoronavirusAndChildcare/.  This site will have information on what sites have a license and what type of providers will be prioritized to receive a license.

 

Note: For an archive of all COVID-19 related First Alerts from Calfee, which are separate from these emails and focused on specific business topics, please visit the Calfee COVID-19 Resource Center: https://www.calfee.com/covid-19-resource-center

 

Other items of note

 

• Ohio House and Senate leaders on Monday were still hammering out details for this week, when both chambers are expected to act on a coronavirus-related measures, capital reappropriations and a potential short-term fix for school voucher eligibility.  That omnibus measure is also expected to include language aligning Ohio's tax filing day with the new July 15 federal deadline, establishing a primary election deadline and revising open meeting requirements in light of the ongoing emergency.  Whatever day is chosen for action by either chamber is likely to be the only time they will meet this week. Officials are discussing how to conduct the sessions with an eye toward limiting unnecessary contact per health agency guidelines.
• Michigan issued a stay at home order this morning - https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/0,9309,7-387-90499_90705-522626--,00.html
• US Senate Democrats blocked a $2 trillion coronavirus rescue bill for the second day in a row Monday.  Ahead of the vote, Senators clashed angrily over delays that had bogged down the giant bill, reflecting uncertainty about whether Congress would be able to reach a deal later in the day. The vote was 49-46, far short of the 60 vote threshold needed to advance the legislation for a final debate.
• The Italian government announced Monday that the death toll from the novel coronavirus outbreak had increased by 608 to 5,476.  The number of cases had increased by 4,789 to bring the total to 63,927, according to Italy’s Civil Protection agency.  The news was greeted with tentative optimism in Italy, as both figures showed a decline from the higher increases only a few days ago, suggesting that Italy’s strict social-distancing measures may be slowing the outbreak.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/03/23/coronavirus-latest-news/#link-NRWRJKQOTJHOFNN65NOUPUVW6E 

 

Key websites – New resources in red

 

Closure order FAQ - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/Stay-at-Home-Information/Stay-At-Home-Order-Frequently-Asked-Questions

General state updates - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/

Unemployment compensation - http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/CoronavirusAndUI.stm

Mental health resources - https://mha.ohio.gov/Health-Professionals/About-Mental-Health-and-Addiction-Treatment/Emergency-Preparedness/Coronavirus

Ohio benefits application - https://benefits.ohio.gov/

SharedWork Ohio - http://jfs.ohio.gov/ouio/SharedWorkOhio/

Support resources for adults - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/resources/resources-for-adults-coping-with-the-covid-19-pandemic

Find your local health district - https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/find-local-health-districts

Job openings - https://jobseeker.ohiomeansjobs.monster.com/home.aspx

COVID-19 checklists - https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/COVID-19-Checklists/ 

 

 

Click Here to Read the Directors Stay at Home Order

Click Here to Read the CISA Guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers

 

 

Maryellen K. Corbett​ Attorney at Law mcorbett@calfee.com 614.621.7754 Office 614.621.0010 Fax Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP 1200 Huntington Center ​41 South High Street Columbus ,  OH    43215‑3465   vCard Calfee.com | Info@Calfee.com | 888.CALFEE1 This electronic mail transmission may contain confidential and legally privileged information from the law firm of Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP intended only for the use of the individual(s) identified as addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this electronic mail transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify me by telephone immediately.