DeWine expands mask mandate to 12 counties

The state’s mandatory mask order grew to 12 counties Thursday, up from 7 on Wednesday, including Montgomery, Butler and ten others in central and northern Ohio.

Most of the new counties added to the mask mandate are in the greater Columbus, Toledo or Cleveland areas.

The new restrictions there will take effect at 6pm Friday evening.

The reason for the expansion, according to Gov. Mike DeWine, was the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus are up in those locations.

“In Montgomery County,” DeWine said, “during the last three weeks the COVID-19 cases have increased. Montgomery Count has reported more than 600 cases during the last 14 days .”

One revelation about the new mask order is that, for the very first time since the health emergency began back in March, the state will add restrictions to places of worship.

Anyone attending services in a church, synagogue, mosque or place of worship of any kind will have to wear a mask if they are near other people outside of their family.

The people performing the service are exempt from the mask order.

Children under 10 years old and people with a medical problem are the only others who do not have to wear a mask.

DeWine said there have been cases in Ohio where people have caught the virus after going to church.

“I’ve talked to Pastors. I have said just be careful. All of the time I get texts. I tell them you can do anything, but you need to be careful,” DeWine said.

DeWine meanwhile is defending his use of state health department data and his handling of the crisis.

Critics, including State Rep. Nino Vitale, R- Urbana, accused the governor of manipulating the data to make it appear there are more cases than there really are and scaring people unnecessarily.

DeWine said in response, “This is not about fear. This is about us controlling our future. Ohioans controlling their own destiny and they need information to do that.”

Cox Media Group