Ohio To Unveil Restaurant Opening Protocols In Coming Days

COLUMBUS, OH — Gov. Mike DeWine said he would announce opening protocols for restaurants this week. The governor said he has been working with the owners of diners and chain restaurants to determine safe opening procedures.

Restaurants have been allowed to offer curbside pickup and delivery to customers, but dine-in service has been shuttered. Ohio began a phased reopening of the state's economy on May 1, but the governor had no answers on when restaurants could begin welcoming customers inside again. That changed Monday.

"Our restaurant group has been working very hard, and they are nearly finished with their plan. Within the next several days we'll be rolling out the protocol for reopening restaurants. We'll also be able to announce a reopening date," DeWine said on Monday.

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Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicle locations will reopen in late May, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced Monday. Each BMV site will have to create its own health and safety protocols to protect visitors. The bureau is expanding its "get in line online" platform, to encourage Ohioans to check into their BMV online.

Setting Testing Priorities

The Ohio Department of Health set priorities for who can get tested for COVID-19 in Ohio. Here's who will have priority for testing:

• Priority 1
• Ohioans who are hospitalized and have symptoms of COVID-19
• Healthcare workers who have symptoms of COVID-19
• Priority 2
• Ohioans in congregate living or long-term care facilities with symptoms
• First-responders, critical infrastructure workers with symptoms
• Ohioans who have symptoms who are 65 and older
• Ohioans with symptoms who have underlying health conditions
• Residents or staff who don't have symptoms but were exposed to COVID-19 while living or working in a congregate living facility
• Ohioans who are tasked with managing or evaluating community outbreaks, but don't have symptoms
• Priority 3 (with or without symptoms)
  • Ohioans receiving essential surgeries or procedures
  • Ohioans receiving medically necessary procedures that don't require overnight hospital stays

Addressing Protesters

DeWine chastised protesters outside the Ohio Statehouse for harassing reporters on Monday. The governor said protesters can target him, and other elected officials, but should not harangue or disrespect media who are attempting to report on what's happening in the state.

The governor then criticized protesters for harassing family members of Dr. Amy Acton, the state health department director. Protesters camped outside of Acton's home on Saturday, voicing their displeasure over Ohio's stay-at-home order, according to News 5.

"I'm the elected official who ran for office. I'm the one who makes policy decisions. Members of my cabinet work hard, but I set the policy. When you don't like the policy, again - you can demonstrate against me - that's fair game," DeWine said. "But to bother the family of Dr. Acton, that's not fair game. It's not right. It's not necessary. The buck stops here. I'm the responsible person."

Monday's Numbers

The state confirmed 560 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing Ohio's total COVID-19 cases to 20,474 since the outbreak began. There were also 18 new deaths confirmed on Monday, bringing the state's total dead to 1,056.

Over the past five days, Ohio has been adding 629 new COVID-19 cases daily on average, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The state has also been averaging 48 new deaths daily. More than 50 percent of fatal COVID-19 cases in Ohio occurred among people 80 or older.

Every county in Ohio has had at least one case of COVID-19. State health officials have tested 154,290 Ohioans since the start of the outbreak.

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