Reopening Ohio: DeWine announces guidelines for return of county fairs

Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Thursday guidelines for county fairs to take place.

DeWine and state health Director Dr. Amy Acton strongly recommend that for the 2020 fair season, agricultural societies limit fairs to only allow for 4-H and FFA “Junior Fair” activities.

Fair boards are being asked to work closely with local boards of health, and all fairs must comply with all executive orders and orders of the Ohio Department of Health in effect at the time of the fair.

“We have asked them to come together to provide a safe outlet for limited livestock shows, showmanship, skill-a-thons, barn and building activities…the auction as well as non-livestock shows and exhibitions,” DeWine said Thursday.

Greene County Fair Board President Dan Bullen, who had pushed hard for the administration to approve fair operations this summer, praised the announcement.

“I think you are going to see most fairs. It is going to be an abbreviated fair," Bullen said. "And when I say abbreviated, it might not have the grandstand entertainment. It might not have some grounds acts, some expensive things, but at least we are allowed to have a fair this year, so that is a positive start.”

The Greene County Fair is scheduled for Aug. 2 through Aug. 8. Bullen said it will give them time to plan ahead.

Other fairs have already announced they would cancel this year and look ahead to 2021. They include fairs in Montgomery, Butler and Shelby counties.

Here are the state guidelines for Junior Fair Animal Exhibits:

• Must conduct daily symptom assessments. Anyone experiencing symptoms must stay home.
• Limit livestock exhibitions to 10 exhibitors, in the show ring at one time.
• The microphone must be sanitized between speakers or each speaker must have his/her own dedicated microphone.
• Spectators and others in the exhibition area must follow current orders regarding mass gatherings and social distancing.
• Fair Boards are responsible for drafting 2020 operational guidance specific to each county fair ground, with approval given by the local board of health.
• Animals will be permitted to stay on the fairgrounds for no more than 72 hours.

For Skill-a-thons:

• Ensure social distancing or install barriers, clean, and sanitize high-contact surfaces, and promote hand washing/sanitizing.
• If a live Skill-a-thon, participants should have individual, designated times for participation.
• Designate different barns for different animals

For barns:

• The number of handlers and pen placement must follow current orders regarding mass gatherings and social distancing.
• Ensure adequate air flow in all barns and exhibition facilities for the safety and health of the animals

For auctions:

• Animals are not to be present in the ring for the auctions.
• Viewing gallery limited to buyers and immediate family unless building capacity allows for more while following social distancing guidelines.

For non-animal exhibitions:

• Exhibitors must be spaced out within exhibition areas to adhere to six-foot social distancing guidelines
• Exhibit areas must be thoroughly cleaned between participants.

For volunteers:

• Educate volunteers on social distancing guidelines, handwashing, and safety measures.
• Ensure those in Junior and Senior Fair Board offices are following social distancing guidelines and have access to hand washing facilities or hand sanitizer.

For food concessions:

• Food concession vendors must comply with the standards for Restaurants and Bars as applicable.
• Food concession vendors must be positioned and set up to ensure at least six feet between parties in ordering and queuing areas. Visual 6 ft. ground markings are required to show proper distance for customers in queue.
• Dining or seating areas must be positioned to ensure at least six feet between parties.
• Food self-service areas must be discontinued as specified in the Responsible RestartOhio Sector Guidance for Retail and Services.
• Condiments will either be placed on the food item by the vendor or offered in individual packets or containers.

For campgrounds:

• Campground Operators and Visitors must comply with the standards outlined as applicable in the COVID-19 Responsible RestartOhio plan for Camping and Campgrounds.
• No compounding or clustering of groups is allowed on fair campgrounds.
• For the duration of the fair, local boards of health and fair boards will work together to ensure that all wastewater is properly disposed.

For amusement rides:

• Any operation of amusement rides must be in compliance with all Executive Orders, Orders of the Ohio Department of Health, and the standards for ride operators and riders outlined for amusement rides by the Travel and Tourism Advisory Group (forthcoming).
• Practice good personal hygiene, including washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, using hand sanitizer, refraining from touching eyes, nose, and mouth, coughing and sneezing into an elbow, etc.

For PPE and Safety Measures:

• Fair boards must require employees, volunteers, and participants except when showing inside the show ring to wear facial coverings

For physical contact:

• There will be no physical contact between judges, exhibitors, participants, buyers, sellers, i.e. congratulatory handshakes, hugs, high fives.
• Fairgoers must not pet or touch animals.

For hand washing/ hand sanitizing:

• The fair must provide adequate hand washing/hand sanitizing stations that meet Ohio Department of Health and local boards of health recommendations in and around barns, exhibition facilities, restrooms, amusement ride areas, food vending units/areas, and all other fair facilities.
• The fair must provide adequate hand washing/hand sanitizing stations that meet Ohio Department of Health and local boards of health recommendations in and around barns, exhibition facilities, restrooms, amusement ride areas, food vending units/areas, and all other fair facilities.

For restroom/showers:

• Ensure all toilets are functional.
• Clean and sanitize public areas and restrooms in the morning and evening with increased instances of cleaning and sanitation during peak usage times. Cleaning should be conducted using EPA-registered disinfectants, particularly on high-touch surfaces such as faucets, toilets, doorknobs, and light switches.
• Restock supplies for hand washing, including soap and materials for drying hands, every time the bathroom is cleaned.
• Install seat-cover dispensers and motion-sensing faucets, soap, and towel dispensing in restrooms and other facilities.
• Provide hand sanitizer where water is not available.
• Restrooms, showers, and laundry facilities will limit the number of users at any one time based on the facility size and current social distancing guidelines.

For ticket sales:

• Advanced ticket sales are strongly recommended.
• Cashless transactions are strongly recommended at entrances, gates, and other areas where items and services are purchased.

For building capacity:

• Fair Boards must work with their local health and/or fire department to establish building capacity in all facilities.
• Ensure a minimum of six feet between parties of participants, spectators, volunteers, fairgoers, and workers up to the maximum group size per state guide lines (currently 10) in queue lines, seating areas, and similar. If not possible, utilize barriers or other protective devices.
• Limit entrance and exit options when possible while still maintaining code regulations.
• Establish a one-way directional flow of traffic through barns, exhibition buildings, and other fair facilities.

For signage:

• The fair must work with local boards of health to develop proper signage regarding social distancing and hand washing/hand sanitizing.

For harness racing:

• The fair must follow guidelines established in the Protocols for a Safe Return to Racing document (forthcoming).

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