Complete Story
09/09/2020
COVID-19 Cases in Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky Decrease
Ohio State Updates: 9/2 - 9/8
Governor DeWine announced that beginning Tuesday, September 8, parents or guardians and school staff should notify their school within 24 hours of receiving a positive test or a clinical diagnosis. Within 24 hours after receiving that notification, the school should notify other parents and guardians about that case in writing, providing as much information as possible without releasing protected health information. The school must also notify their local health department within 24 hours. Beginning Tuesday, September 15, and each Tuesday thereafter, local health departments will report the number of newly reported and cumulative cases to the Ohio Department of Health. The Ohio Department of Health will publish this data by school or school district, including a breakdown by students and staff, each Thursday.
Lt. Governor Husted announced that, in an effort led by the Development Services Agency, the U.S. Department of Defense has made a commitment to Ohio’s defense manufacturers and put the state in a position to receive a $5 million grant to improve manufacturing processes and train workers for next-generation jobs.
The governor continued a travel advisory for all individuals coming into Ohio from states reporting positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15% or higher. Those traveling from one of the following states should self-quarantine for 14 days at home or in a hotel: Alabama, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
The self-quarantine recommendation applies to those who live in Ohio and to people who are traveling into Ohio from any of these states. Ohio's positivity rate, an indicator of the percentage of people who have tested positive for COVID-19, was 4.3% over the last 7 days (down from 4.5%). Visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov for tips on how to effectively quarantine.
Ohio recorded a decrease in new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 1,028 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 1,169 new cases per day over the previous 7 days.
Michigan State Updates: 9/2 - 9/8
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, along with leaders in education, business, labor and workforce development, today launched the nation’s first program offering tuition-free college to an estimated 625,000 Michiganders who provided essential, frontline services during COVID-19 Stay Home, Stay Safe orders between April – June 2020. The funding is not only available to those in the medical field, but also essential workers in manufacturing, nursing homes, grocery stores, sanitation, delivery, retail and more. Frontline workers are encouraged to visit www.michigan.gov/Frontliners to explore career opportunities, a list of local community colleges and get started on their application. This program is a $24M investment funded by Governor’s Education Emergency Relief (GEER) Fund – part of the CARES Act.
Governor Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-180 clarifying the rules on face coverings for organized sports during training, practice, and competition. This order specifies that a face covering must be worn at all times by athletes training for, practicing for, or competing in an organized sport when the athlete cannot maintain 6 feet of social distance, except for occasional and fleeting moments. Athletes are not required to wear a face covering if they are swimming. Athletes competing in football, soccer, or volleyball, for example, are not able to maintain 6 feet of social distance as required, and therefore, would need to wear a facial covering.
The Governor signed Executive Order 2020-176 reopening Michigan’s gyms and pools in those regions where they remain closed and allowing for organized sports practices and competitions to resume in those regions where they remain restricted, subject to strict protections meant to limit spread of the virus. The governor also signed Executive Order 2020-175 outlining strict workplace safety measures gyms and pools must follow to protect people from the spread of COVID-19.
Comerica Bank launched a program that will provide free business resources to aid in the pandemic economic recovery for its customers. It launched a new small business support program, RISE! (Resources, Ideas, Support and Engagement), to help businesses and communities in Michigan recover and thrive amid the COVID-19 pandemic. RISE! provides free resources to Comerica’s small business customers to promote their businesses to current Comerica customers and potential prospects. To be eligible, businesses must have 500 or fewer employees, a physical business location in Michigan, serve Michigan residents and be a Comerica customer. Qualifying businesses can register for assistance at comerica.com/RISE.
The Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) and Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) are launching a new program to support Michigan businesses to reopen safely amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The MIOSHA Ambassador Program offers education and one-on-one guidance to help businesses understand regulations on workplace safety. Guidance and resources are posted at Michigan.gov/COVIDWorkplaceSafety. Ambassadors will visit businesses statewide to offer education and support, with a focus on workplaces with a higher risk of community transmission. Ambassadors will not propose citations or issue penalties.
Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bill 745, which appropriates $2.8 billion in supplemental funding from federal revenues awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover a temporary $300 per week enhanced federal payment for eligible Michiganders receiving unemployment benefits. As part of the FEMA program, the additional $300 per week in unemployment benefits will continue until the federal emergency disaster relief funding made available for this program has been exhausted. At this time, it is unknown how many weeks may be covered by existing funds. Eligible claimants do not have to take any action to receive the additional benefit amount provided by the program.
Michigan new COVID-19 cases decreased slightly last week with an average of 661 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 678 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers continue to fluctuate.
Kentucky State Updates: 9/2 - 9/8
Governor Beshear, who has taken repeated steps to keep people from being evicted at the height of the pandemic, updated the state’s executive order on evictions to reflect the Center for Disease Control’s moratorium on residential evictions through December 31. The commonwealth’s Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund, which includes $15 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, will still provide relief for some eligible tenants and landlords. The Kentucky Supreme Court has issued the following orders (2020-59 and 2020-64) establishing the Jefferson County Eviction Diversion Pilot Project and the procedure for eviction proceedings in courts. Until the Court issues a new order, these are controlling. Kentuckians seeking legal assistance can contact the Kentucky COVID-19 Legal Helpline or call toll-free: 833-540-0342. Governor Beshear announced the launch of the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund website, teamkyhherf.ky.gov. Kentuckians can visit the site to seek information on how to obtain a portion of $15 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act money the Governor pledged to support the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund.
The governor extended the commonwealth’s mandate for face coverings in some situations for another 30 days, citing the mandate’s success in slowing the spread of COVID-19. To read the new executive order, click here.
Governor Beshear signed an executive order that extends previous orders allowing pharmacists to dispense 30-day refills. The current executive order is set to expire Sunday at midnight; the new order will be effective for 30 days beginning September 6.
New COVID-19 cases decreased in Kentucky this week, with an average of 591 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 660 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers continue to fluctuate.
