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DeWine Sets Target For Lifting All State COVID-19 health Orders

A year after Ohio began battling the coronavirus, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the state is now on the offense, deploying the vaccine to those most vulnerable.  

DeWine says more than 1.8 million Ohioans have been vaccinated.  And he's confident enough to make a promise to Ohioans:

"... and so tonight I'm announcing that when Ohio gets down to 50 cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, all health orders in the state will come off."
DeWine says the state has made tremendous progress.  He points out that in the first week of December, there were 731 cases per 100,000 residents.  By the beginning of February, that number was down to 445.  And by this week, that number had dropped to 179 cases per 100,000.

DeWine says that drop is thanks to the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, and continued use of precautions like masks and social distancing.  But he warned that new variants of the coronavirus means Ohioans must continue to take the precautions that began last spring.  

"Our path back is by continuing forward.  By wearing that mask, and by getting that vaccine.  and while no one will be forced to take that vaccine, the more of us who can get vaccinated, and the quicker we can get it done, the more complete will be our victory, and the more confidently can we put this all behind us."

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Since COVID-19 vaccines have become available, DeWine has lifted the statewide curfew, opened restaurants, bars and gyms, removed stay-at-home orders and loosened capacity regulations for sports and entertainment venues.  DeWine says more than more than 450,000 doses of the vaccine were delivered to Ohio this week, and that number is increasing. 

A native of Chicago, naturalized citizen of Cincinnati and resident of Columbus, Alison attended Earlham College and the Ohio State University. She has equal passion for Midwest history, hockey and Slavic poetry.
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