March 20 Coronavirus Update: DeWine to Employers: “The bad behavior, the reckless behavior, must stop.” “The protection of life is the most important obligation that I have.”
A recap of today’s press conference from Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine.
DeWine: We continue receive notifications from employees about businesses that aren’t complying with guidelines; DeWine “implores” employers to comply. If employers don’t comply, he will err on the side of protecting people. “The bad behavior, the reckless behavior, must stop.” “The protection of life is the most important obligation that I have.” The warning comes on the heels of California and New York shelter-in-place orders and other states’ decisions to close all “non-life-sustaining” businesses.
“I think people can imagine what that next step will be.” Safety of the public has to come first.
Department of Insurance will be issuing an order allowing employers to defer health insurance premium payments with no interest for up to 60 days without interrupting employees’ health insurance coverage.
Ohio has asked the federal government to tap into the disaster unemployment account and release these funds to expand unemployment compensation so 1099 contractors and otherwise ineligible employees may qualify for benefits. No changes yet.
Best Practices for Businesses:
Employee temp screening before work, if equipment available to do so, or ask employees to self-screen every morning
Dedicate staff to specifically clean high touch surfaces
Remove chairs where too close together or people could congregate
Stagger breaks/lunches to prevent congregation
Carry out the 6 ft. rule
Put tape on the floor to mark 6 ft distances where people may congregate like lunch lines
Ask employees to stay home after work and not travel outside of wor
Immediately send employees home if exhibiting symptoms
Some employers have divided operations into A & B shifts to spread out employees
Identify a person at your facility to “own” these rules and enforce them
Make sanitizing supplies readily available to employees
Ban gatherings without personal spacing
Close community gathering spaces to avoid congregation
No sharing equipment without it being disinfected
Wash hands frequently and don’t touch your face
Husted (on best practices):
“If you’re not doing this, you’re acting irresponsibly, and you’re putting us all at risk.”
Toledo attorney is first confirmed coronavirus death in Ohio.
Senior centers and adult day cares to close at EOB on Monday. All have been notified and have already made arrangements for the seniors in their care.
Grocery stores are hiring.
Dr. Acton: “mild to moderate” cases are still pretty awful in many cases and may last for up to 2 weeks.
ODH labs are turning around testing in 24 hours but other labs seem to be backed up. Testing should go to ODH labs whenever possible.
Gov. DeWine: we’re already asking every Ohioan who can shelter in place to do so. Advises people not to travel and quarantine if returning from travel. Everyone should stay home who can do so.
Dr. Acton:
We will see the death toll rise. We’re entering into a new phase. We’ve known this will happen, but it’s still very difficult to take. The surge/spike is going to happen and will affect each community at a different time and to a different extent- we can’t predict how that will unfold. We are going to be doing this for a while, but it will not last forever.