Gov. DeWine Announces COVID-19 Protocols for All Ohio Businesses

During the press conference on April 27th, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan for Ohio to return to work. Find more information below. DeWine released 5 protocols for all Ohio businesses returning to work and also provided industry specific requirements. Find them below.

Download the Responsible Protocols Guide

Download the Responsible Restart Guide for General Office Environments

Download the Responsible Restart Guide for Manufacturing, Distribution & Construction

Download the Responsible Restart Guide for Consumer, Retail & Services

5 Protocols for All Businesses

1. Require face coverings for employees and recommend them for clients/customers at all times.
2. Conduct daily health assessments by employers and employees (self-evaluation) to determine if “fit for duty.”
3. Maintain good hygiene at all times – hand washing, sanitizing and social distancing.
4. Clean and sanitize workplaces throughout workday and at the close of business or between shifts.
5. Limit capacity to meet social distancing guidelines.
   • Establish maximum capacity at 50% of fire code.
   • And, use appointment setting where possible to limit congestion.

Take the following actions when a COVID-19 infection is identified:

• Immediately report employee or customer infections to the local health district.
• Work with local health department to identify potentially exposed individuals to help facilitate appropriate communication/contact tracing.
• Shutdown shop/floor for deep sanitation is possible.
• Professionally clean and sanitize site/location.
• Reopen in consultation with the local health department.

The following businesses and operations are to remain closed per existing Stay at Home Orders:

• K-12 schools and daycares.
• Restaurants and bars.
  • Carry-out and delivery services are permitted.
• Personal appearance/beauty services.
  • Includes hair salons, day spas, nail salons, barber shops, tattoo parlors, body piercing locations, tanning facilities, massage therapy locations and similar businesses.
• Older adult day care services and senior centers.
• Adult day support or vocational habilitation services in congregate settings.
• Rooming and boarding houses, and workers’ camps.
• Entertainment/recreation/gymnasium sites.
• Includes, but is not limited to:
  • All places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors, such as:
    • Laser tag facilities, roller skating rinks, ice skating rinks, arcades, indoor miniature golf facilities, bowling alleys, indoor trampoline parks, indoor water parks, arcades, and adult and child skill or chance game facilities remain closed.
    • Gambling industries.
    • Auditoriums, stadiums, arenas.
    • Movie theatres, performance theatres, and concert and music halls
    • Public recreation centers and indoor sports facilities.
    • Parades, fairs, festivals, and carnivals.
    • Amusement parks, theme parks, outdoor water parks, children’s play centers, playgrounds, and funplexes.
    • Aquariums, zoos, museums, historical sites, and similar institutions.
    • Country clubs and social clubs.
  • Spectator sports, recreational sports tournaments and organized recreational sports leagues.
  • Health clubs, fitness centers, workout facilities, gyms, and yoga studios.
  • Swimming pools, whether public or private, except swimming pools for single households.
  • Residential and day camps.
  • Campgrounds, including recreational camps and recreational vehicle (RV) parks.
    • Excludes people living in campground RVs with no other viable place of residence.
    • Excludes people living in cabins, mobile homes, or other fixed structures that are meant for single families and where preexisting residential activity already has been established. (E.g., for people who have part-time preestablished residences at campgrounds for the summer months.)

Read more on these protocols on the Ohio Department of Health website.