Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has ordered a ban on visitors at nursing homes and in the state's psychiatric hospitals.
Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.
DeWine says nursing homes requested the ban because of the vulnerability of elderly people and those with compromised immune systems to COVID-19.
“No one knows the safety of their patients better than the nursing homes themselves. This will not last forever. This is temporary. Everything we’re doing is temporary. We’ll get back to normal in Ohio. It’s not going to be done overnight, but we will.”
Visitors are also banned at the state’s six psychiatric hospitals, and those who have to come into those facilities or nursing homes will be screened. Earlier this week, 128 polling places that were in nursing homes and senior living facilities were ordered to be moved for Tuesday’s presidential primary, with provisions being made for residents who want to vote.