Niles McKinley High School freshman Lucia DeLuca, 14, dons a mask while checking peppers growing in the Garden Gnomes community garden behind Niles Middle School recently. Staff photo / Allie Vugrincic

Previously hesitant to impose a statewide face mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Mike DeWine agreed to require it — effective at 6 p.m. today.

DeWine made the announcement Wednesday saying masks have been shown to help slow down the virus. There are exceptions to the requirement.

“We’ve got to get this virus under control,” he said. “Wearing masks will make a difference. It will determine what our fall looks like. We want kids to go back to school, we want to see sports. To do that, it’s important that all Ohioans wear a mask.”

DeWine initially ordered masks be mandatory on April 27, to be effective May 1, but reversed his decision April 28.

He then said May 1 that masks for different counties “would be a disaster for the state.” But on June 26, he said the state was looking at masks by county.

He unveiled the color-coded Ohio Public Health Advisory System on July 2 as COVID-19 warnings across the state. On July 7, he declared those in Level 3 (red) and 4 (purple) would be required to wear face masks in public, with exceptions.

He changed course again Wednesday and ordered masks statewide, effective today.

“It is clear that mask wearing in red counties is going up,” DeWine said. “That is great news. Our preliminary data indicates that the rate of increase in new cases in those counties has slowed. We believe this is, in part, the result of people wearing masks. Some are cautiously optimistic that things are headed in the right direction.”

DeWine said those in Level 1 (yellow) and 2 (orange) counties “can make a significant difference by wearing masks. Doing this where the threat is lower is key to help prevent a higher level of spread. And so it is essential that we wear masks statewide.”

LEVELS

When the system came out July 2, seven counties, including Trumbull, were at Level 3. A week later it grew to 12 counties. Last week, it jumped to 19 counties, taking in about 60 percent of the state’s population. Trumbull dropped to Level 2 last week.

Mahoning County has been at Level 2, and Columbiana County at Level 1 since the first report came out July 2.

The new numbers come out today and DeWine said Wednesday that preliminary data show more counties will reach Level 3.

People required to wear masks are those in any indoor location that is not a residence; when they are outdoors and unable to consistently maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others; and when they are waiting for a ride, driving or operating public transportation, a taxi, a private care service or a ride-sharing service.

The order also doesn’t apply to children under the age of 10 or any minor who cannot wear a face covering safely.

The order doesn’t require mask wearing if a person’s physician advises against it, if wearing a mask is prohibited by federal regulation, if communicating with someone with a disability, if actively exercising or playing sports, if an officiant at a religious service, if involved in public safety, and if eating or drinking.

DeWine asked those who’ve traveled to states with a COVID-19 positivity rate of 15 percent or higher to self-quarantine for 14 days at home or in a hotel upon their return to Ohio. Those states, he said, currently include Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina and Texas as well as Puerto Rico. The state list will be updated weekly.

NUMBERS

DeWine made these announcements Wednesday when 1,527 new COVID-19 cases were reported. It’s the third-highest daily number since the start of the pandemic. The two highest dates were 1,679 Friday and 1,542 Saturday.

Wednesday was the 15th-straight day with at least 1,000 newly reported cases. All 15 days are among the top 21 for the most reported cases of the virus in Ohio.

The 4,920 reported cases during the first four days of this week is a daily average of 1,230. That is down from the 1,372 daily case average last week when the state reported the most cases in a week with 9,608. But it’s a higher average than every other week since the pandemic began in March.

The state has reported 78,742 overall COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday with 54,426 “presumed recovered” and 3,235 fatalities, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Mahoning County reported 2,187 cases Wednesday, up 39 since Tuesday.

Trumbull County reported 1,222 cases Wednesday, up 15 since Tuesday.

There was also another death reported Wednesday in Trumbull, the fifth in the past four days.

There are 9,864 total hospitalizations in Ohio from the virus with 1,098 in hospitals as of Wednesday — an all-time high for the virus. It was at 908 on July 9.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com