Many of the restrictions put in place throughout Ohio in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will expire at midnight on Tuesday. Governor Mike DeWine has stated he will not renew the regulations.
However, DeWine has left the door open for some regulations to remain in place in certain settings. DeWine announced that the decisions to require masks and limit the total capacity of the number of guests or customers will be left up to individual businesses and other organizations.
“It’s time to end the health orders. Now, lifting these orders does not mean the virus is gone. It does not mean we are all safe. Each Ohio citizen will make their own decisions about wearing a mask and social distancing — and when, for them, that’s appropriate, ” DeWine said in his state-wide address earlier this month.
The relaxation of these orders comes in response to the continuation of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths plummeting across the state. At the same time, vaccination rates are rising. Over 5.3 million Ohioans have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
While these restrictions will end for the general public, most of the health measures will remain in place for nursing homes and assisted-living facilities.
Over the course of the pandemic, DeWine has been hesitant to relax the government regulations. He lagged behind many other Republican governors in making his decision. In fact, he faced pushback from several members of his own party due to his lack of action.
Former Congressman Jim Renacci, a potential GOP primary challenger to DeWine, in a tweet before DeWine announced the relaxation of the orders said, “Ohio needs freedom, liberty, and business that can operate without restrictions and mask mandates.”
Ohio needs freedom, liberty, and business that can operate without restrictions and mask mandates.
— Jim Renacci (@JimRenacci) March 31, 2021
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for the Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Social Distancing Measures” by GoToVan. CC BY 2.0.
