COLUMBUS – Governor Mike DeWine announced Thursday that child care centers in Ohio will be allowed to reopen on May 31 with smaller class sizes and greater safety requirements.
DeWine also announced additional reopening dates as the state tries to revive an economy brought to a halt by the coronavirus outbreak.
Other reopening dates:
May 21 – campgrounds
May 22 – horse racing (without spectators)
May 26 – BMV offices, gyms recreation centers, non-contact sports and activities (tennis, golf, etc.), swimming pools
May 31 – day camps
When child care centers reopen, they will do so under new restrictions limiting the number of children in one room to nine in the case of preschool and school-age children, six in the cases of infants and toddlers, said Joni Close, of the Sisters of Charity Foundation in Akron and head of the child care advisory group.
Teachers will wear masks and will greet children outside the facility and escort them/ inside where the youngsters will wash their hands before entering their classrooms . They will wash their hands frequently before their parents pick them up and parents are encouraged to wear masks.
Read more about the guidelines for reopening child care centers here.
Playground equipment, toys and other fixtures and surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said that the decisions were made as groups studying various industries finished their reports on strategies.
The state will fund a research project to study how to control the spread of COVID-19 in child care settings and will use the information to determine whether restrictions should be reimposed or whether regulations should be adjusted.
Pools will be allowed to reopen, subject to the decisions of local health agencies, on May 26 because Husted says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that proper operation and maintenance, including disinfection with chlorine and bromine, should inactivate the virus in the water.
No dates have been set for the reopening of movie theaters, water parks, amusement parks, casinos, racinos or museums.
Ohio’s phased-in reopening continues Friday when barber shops, hair and nail salons, and tattoo and massage parlors reopen. Restaurants and bars will be allowed to serve customers outdoors with indoor dining resuming on May 21.
Another 51,125 Ohioans filed for first-time unemployment claims last week.
DeWine has said that 90% of the state’s economy will be back online this weekend with Ohioans having returned to offices, factories, construction jobs and retail stores, and now outdoor eating.
The Ohio Restaurant Association says four in 10 Ohio restaurants closed during the pandemic and 3% won’t reopen. Nearly half of Ohio restaurants experienced economic losses of more than 70%.
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Columbus City Council will vote Monday to appropriate $157 million in federal funds for things like medical expenses and help for small businesses that have strained city coffers as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The money was provided by a pandemic rescue package passed by Congress in March.
“The city has spent significant money on COVID-related efforts including homelessness and food insecurity, as well as overtime for police, fire and public health. At the same time, our revenues to provide core city services are down because of high unemployment,” said Mayor Andrew Ginther.
The CARES Act funding must be used for expenditures necessary to address public health issues due to COVID-19.
Eighty million dollars has been earmarked for direct spending for COVID-19 expenses such as medical expenses for testing, EMS response, personal protective equipment. Fifty-one million dollars has been set aside for human services such as shelter for those experiencing homelessness, as well as food and rental assistance, and $26 million is available for small business assistance and technology for teleworking.
Ginther also announced the formation of a Recovery and Resiliency Advisory Group to help the city bounce back from the economic downturn caused by the pandemic and prepare for future crises.
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The Columbus Metropolitan Library on Monday, May 18, will start offering curbside pickup six days per week at three locations as part of its planned phased reopening.
— Columbus Library (@columbuslibrary) May 14, 2020
Curbside pickup will be available Monday-Thursday from 11::00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Gahanna Branch, 310 Granville Street; Hilliard, 4500 Hickory Chase Way, and Parsons, 1113 Parsons Avenue.
Customers who have been notified that they have items ready to pick up at these three locations may do so with curbside pickup. Those who have items ready to pick up at any other location are advised to watch for updates for when additional locations will offer curbside pickup.
Library officials say they hope to expand curbside pickup to other locations later this month and plan to reopen additional locations in June.