COVID-19 Statewide Orders and City/County Recommendations

This post was last updated December 31.

COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Ohio - in fact, there are more cases and more hospitalizations than at any time before in the pandemic. In response, authorities in Ohio have issued a number of orders and recommendations to help fight the virus and slow the spread. We have summarized these below.

State of Ohio

Health Order Enforcing Mask-Wearing in Retail Locations: on November 13, Ohio Department of Health Interim Director Lance Himes signed a health order to enforce mask-wearing in retail locations across the state in compliance with the statewide mandatory mask order signed on July 23, 2020. This order, like the previous mask order which is still in effect, requires that everyone 10 years or older must wear a mask when inside a retail location. It also requires retail locations to post signs indicating that mask-wearing is required. Further details on enforcement and exemptions to this order can be found here. The full official order can be found here.

Health Order Limiting and Prohibiting Mass Gatherings: Ohio Department of Health Interim Director Lance Himes also signed an order limiting all public and private mass gatherings to no more than 10 people. While this restriction does not apply to weddings and funerals, those events are still subject to restrictions including dancing, mask-wearing, and food preparation. Certain events are protected as free speech. The full details of that order can be found in the official document here.

Mandatory Statewide Curfew in Effect November 19: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced a mandatory curfew for the entire state, to take effect on Thursday, November 19. On December 30, Governor DeWine extended the curfew through January 23. The curfew will be in effect from 10PM to 5AM. There are commonsense exemptions to the curfew, including for those traveling to and from work, delivering or picking up food, or experiencing any type of medical emergency. Further details on the curfew can be found here.

Franklin County/City of Columbus

28-Day Stay-At-Home Advisory Issued for Columbus/Franklin County: On Wednesday, November 18, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, joined by Franklin County Commissioners and the Columbus City Council, as well as officials from Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Public Health, urged all residents of the city and county to stay at home (other than for commonsense necessities including work, food, and medical emergencies) for a period of 28 days. The participants in the joint press conference also strongly urged residents not to gather with members of any other household (including extended family) for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Articles from The Columbus Dispatch and 10 TV News include more details. The Stay-At-Home Advisory can be found in Spanish, Somali, Nepali, Chinese, French, and Bhutanese on our dedicated COVID-19 resources page under “Multilingual Resources for Franklin County.” Watch below for the full press conference:

Cuyahoga County (Cleveland)

One-Month Stay-At-Home Resolution: On November 18, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health issued this stay-at-home resolution, strongly urging all residents of the County to remain at home through at least December 17 (except for commonsense exemptions including work, food, and medical emergencies). The Board of Health further urged residents to forgo having guests or family visit for the upcoming holidays.

Lucas County (Toledo)

Stay-At-Home Advisory: The Toledo-Lucas County Board of Health issued a stay-at-home advisory on Thursday, November 19, effective immediately, which will last through December 17. The advisory recommends that all residents of Lucas County leave home only for work, school, and essential needs. The advisory also reiterates important COVID-19 prevention measures, including proper mask-wearing, hand-washing/sanitization, and social distancing. Further, the advisory recommends limiting all social gatherings, indoor or outdoor, to 10 or fewer people. Further details on the advisory can be found in this WTOL-11 news report.

Further Information

Real-time updates on statewide case numbers and public health orders can be found at coronavirus.ohio.gov. This webpage also includes numerous resources such as posters for businesses to explain the mask order.

US Together proudly hosts translated information and resources in numerous languages on our dedicated COVID-19 webpage, which you can access here.