Coronavirus Pandemic: DeWine warns Ohioans to stay distant, wary of asymptomatic as reopening starts

Ohio and several states are set to gradually reopen businesses beginning May 1 amid continuing concerns about a lack of testing, rapid testing and personal protection equipment as well as the ability to perform contact tracing.

Spikes in new cases could slow or derail states’ plans to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are 9,107 cases in the state, 418 deaths and 2,424 hospitalizations, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

There have been 77,677 people tested for coronavirus in Ohio. Of the cases in the state, 1,853 are health care workers.

[ Local cases, deaths reported to Ohio Department of Health ]

It is important to note the number of confirmed cases is not a true reflection of actual cases in the state because of the limited amount of testing available. The hope is that the number of cases will be more accurate because of the expansion of the testing standards.

The state remains under an extended stay-at-home order until May 1.

What you need to know, Friday:

• The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program to assist farmers, ranchers and consumers was announced Friday evening by President Trump during the White House task force briefing on the federal response to the pandemic. This $19 billion immediate relief program, run by the U.S. Agriculture Department, is to provide critical support to farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of the nation’s food supply chain, and ensure every American continues to receive and have access to the food they need, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said. Read the full story here
• Prisons have undergone extensive testing with 152 new positive cases, 60 of them were not showing any signs of the virus.
• Gov. DeWine warned there is no substitute for distance. As he talked about reopening the state, DeWine said he expects to see people wearing masks in public places
• As the state’s businesses begin to reopen, DeWine said his administration will be monitoring hospital admissions, PPE availability and testing capacity as part of the process to reopen the state
• DeWine, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and Health Commissioner Jeff Cooper, Public Health -- Dayton & Montgomery County, have strongly suggested Ohioans wear cloth face masks in public. All three have stopped short of making the wearing of masks a requirement
• The White House outlined a three-phased approach to reopening states where there has been strong testing and a decrease in COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period. President Trump told governors and state leaders they could move through the guidelines at their own pace and the guidelines are not formal orders from the federal government
• In phase one of the guidelines, for instance, the plan recommends strict social distancing for all people in public. Gatherings larger than 10 people are to be avoided. Nonessential travel is discouraged. In phase two, people are encouraged to maximize social distancing where possible and limit gatherings to no more than 50 people unless precautionary measures are taken. Travel could resume. Phase three envisions a return to normalcy for most Americans, with a focus on the identification and isolation of any new infections. Read the plan in its entirety here

What else you need to know:

• Fact check: Microwaving a cloth face mask? Is that a way to sanitize it?
• Haven’t received your stimulus check yet? Here are 4 reasons why
• Coronavirus updates: See the latest news on the pandemic from across the nation

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