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COLUMBUS -- Ohio's response to slow the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) continued with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announcing most bureau of motor vehicle offices closed, as well as salons, barbershops and tattoo parlors, and activating Ohio National Guard units to assist organizations such as food banks that need help with the normal operations of distributing food and supplies.
DeWine addressed rumors about the Ohio Army National Guard, which he noted offers assistance in times of emergency, such as floods and tornadoes.
"Sometimes people think that calling out the national guard means that they come with guns and they're going to do some military operation," he said. "Please understand that the way the National guard is usually used in the state of Ohio and other states is to help us and assist us.
"They have lift capacity, transport capacity, they can do many, many wonderful things," he continued.
DeWine said the national guard will be helping major hospitals erect tents as requested, and those will be going up.
"These tents will be there to isolate patients and check patients," he said. "You will be seeing that."
As of Wednesday afternoon there were 88 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ohio, according to Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton.
DeWine ordered the temporary closure of Ohio's barbershops, hair salons, nail salons and tattoo parlors due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the temporary closure of most of Ohio's Bureau of Motor Vehicle (BMV) deputy registrar locations and BMV driver examination stations at the end of business Wednesday.
"Everyone is in this fight, but we don't need to go into the battlefield, we simply need to stay home," DeWine said. "Social distancing is so critical, and many Ohioans are starting to understand its importance, but there are still some who don't yet get it. This is a crisis that we have never seen in our lifetime, and everyone must recognize that their actions could have deadly consequences."
Of Ohio's 186 BMV locations and 57 driver exam stations, a handful will remain open to issue and renew commercial driver licenses and perform commercial knowledge exams to ensure that the transportation of necessities such as food, medical supplies and cleaning supplies is not interrupted. In northwest Ohio, the location that will remain open is the deputy registrar/driver exam station in Bowling Green.
Because of these BMV closures, DeWine announced that he will work with the Ohio General Assembly to extend the expiration date of driver's licenses that are up for renewal. In the meantime, the Ohio State Highway Patrol will not issue tickets to drivers whose licenses expire while BMV's services are unavailable, and DeWine recommended that other law enforcement agencies do the same. Ohioans can still renew their vehicle registrations by mail or online at www.oplates.com.
In other matters, DeWine encouraged business owners to begin taking the temperature of employees when they arrive at work in an effort to identify anyone who is becoming ill. If this is not feasible, DeWine asked that employers require workers to take their own temperatures prior to arriving at work. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or higher should self-quarantine with members of their household. In addition, businesses are asked to be aggressive in cleaning surfaces and ensuring soaps and hand sanitizers are available.
"We also ask them to be vigilant, if an employee is sick, has a temperature, to send them home," he said, adding while the temperature check is not perfect, it is a method of screening.
DeWine and Acton also announced that, since testing for the virus is still limited and they have concerns about running out of testing supplies such as the nasal swabs to take the sample, they are limiting testing to those who are hospitalized and health care workers.
"As we have said all along, the vast majority of Ohioans who have symptoms do not need to be tested," DeWine said. "If you're feeling symptoms of what you think might be this virus, you should act like you have it. You should stay home, anyone who lives with you in that home, should also stay home.
"The vast, vast majority of people who get this can stay home, they do not need to be hospitalized," he continued, but added if symptoms worsen, their health care provider should be contacted. If someone has trouble breathing, DeWine said to go to the emergency room, although a call should be placed first to alert them of your symptoms and that you are coming. "Keeping our health care workers -- our doctors, nurses, first responders and others in the health care field -- is absolutely essential so they can take care of the rest of us."
DeWine noted that it's important for health care workers to know which of the hospitalized patients have COVID-19 as well, so they can ensure they are wearing the correct personal protective equipment and are isolated from other hospital patients.
DeWine emphasized putting social distance between individuals, including workers in retail and manufacturing, as well as those volunteering.