Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine
DeWine referenced the state's rising hospitalizations and case numbers, and the pervasive incidence rate in all of the state's 88 counties, to urge Ohioans to work together to fight the virus. In addition to the curfew, he asked that residents find ways to reduce their contact with other people every day, such as limiting outings, wearing a mask to church and calling friends or family instead of seeing them in person.
"If we can cut down contacts by 20-25 percent, this will make a difference," DeWine said. "Paired with mask-wearing, this will go a long way from stopping our hospitals from being overrun."
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted added that the curfew was not meant to shut things down but to slow them down. DeWine said that the curfew would affect retail establishments but would not affect those going out on emergency errands, including for groceries. In fact, there are so many exceptions to the order that the "curfew" reads more like a gentle invitation to stay home when the vast majority of people are home anyway and when the vast majority of retail establishments are already closed.
Exceptions: The curfew does not apply to those who need to be at work, those who have an emergency, or those who need medical care. The curfew is not intended to stop anyone from getting groceries, a carry-out/drive-thru meal, or delivery. A lot of this is common sense.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) November 17, 2020
While new cases were down slightly Tuesday — a total of 6,794 were confirmed, which dipped below 7,000 for the first time since Nov. 11 — hospitalizations set a new record for the fourth day in a row. The state now stands at 3,648 total hospitalizations, up from 3,387 yesterday, with just under 900 in intensive care.
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