Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Announces Statewide Mask Mandate

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) is one of the latest leaders in the country to implement a sweeping mask mandate, making the announcement on Wednesday.

DeWine announced the statewide order on Wednesday, which will apply to all individuals over the age of ten, effective Thursday at 6:00 p.m:

Masks must be worn at all times when:
➡️At an indoor location that’s not a residence
➡️Outdoors, when unable to keep 6ft social distance from those not in your household
➡️When waiting for, riding, driving, or operating public transportation -taxi, car service, private rideshare

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 22, 2020

“Wearing masks will make a difference,” DeWine said. “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 very important that all Ohioans wear a mask.”

DeWine said that mask-wearing is increasing in red counties with “very high exposure and spread,” while the rate of increase in new cases are slowing.

“We believe this is, at least in part, the result of people wearing masks, so we are cautiously optimistic that things are heading in the right direction,” he said:

Our preliminary data indicate that the rate of increase in new cases in those counties has slowed. We believe this is, at least in part, the result of people wearing masks, so we are cautiously optimistic that things are heading in the right direction.

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 22, 2020

The order has few exceptions, exempting those who have a medical condition or disability “or those communicating with someone with a disability.” It also exempts those who are “officiants at religious services,” those who are “actively involved in public safety,” and those who are “actively eating or drinking”:

This order only requires those who are 10 years old or older to wear a mask. In addition, the following do not need to wear a mask: pic.twitter.com/xv9CX8itYi

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 22, 2020

DeWine also announced a travel advisory for all individuals coming into the Buckeye State from states reporting positive testing rates of 15 percent or higher:

If you’re traveling from one of these yellow states, you should self-quarantine at home or in a hotel. This applies to those who live in Ohio and those traveling here from these states, whether they are traveling for businesses or vacationing. pic.twitter.com/M4A8khBniX

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 22, 2020

Ohio reported 78,742  cases of the virus and 3,235 related deaths as of Wednesday.

Similarly, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) signed a mandatory mask order on Wednesday, requiring individuals in the area to wear a face-covering outside their homes.

“You should have on a mask because you do not know if you would be able to maintain social distance,” the mayor said.