Complete Story
11/11/2020
COVID-19 Updates from Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky
Ohio State Updates: 11/4 - 11/10
In a statewide address to Ohioans, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called on citizens to recommit to their individual efforts to prevent coronavirus spread as Ohio moves through its most intense, widespread, and dangerous surge of cases to date. To reinforce the necessity of wearing masks and slowing virus spread, Governor DeWine announced two forthcoming orders:
Revised Mask Order: To protect frontline workers and customers, the Ohio Department of Health will reissue Ohio’s mask order and add the following provisions:
- Each store will be required to post a sign outlining face-covering requirements at all public entrances to the store;
- Each store will be responsible for ensuring that customers and employees are wearing masks; and
- A new Retail Compliance Unit, comprised of agents led by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, will inspect to ensure compliance. A first violation will result in a written warning and a second violation will result in closure of the store for up to 24 hours.
New Social Gathering Order: Ohio’s April order that limits public events and private gatherings of more than 10 people is still in effect, however, there has been rampant spread of the virus as a result of banquets, wedding receptions, and social gatherings following funerals. To address the tragedies that have resulted from such events, open congregate areas will no longer be permitted to open, and everyone will be required to be seated and masked unless they are actively consuming food or drinks.
Bars, restaurants, and fitness centers may remain open, but this will be reassessed one week from Thursday, 11/12, for potential closure.
Lt. Governor Husted provided an update on the Small Business Relief Grant, which provides $10,000 to eligible small businesses with at least one but no more than 25 W2 employees. As of Thursday afternoon, the program has received 24,607 applications. The Development Services Agency is reviewing the applications, and nearly 1,500 have been approved. More information about the program and the application can be found at BusinessHelp.Ohio.gov.
Lt. Governor Husted also reminded Ohioans that if an individual is required to quarantine by their employer or by the local health department, they are eligible for unemployment compensation for the time period that they were out. If someone has exhausted their sick leave as designated by their employer, they may also be eligible for unemployment compensation.
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, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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 10.0% over the last 7 days (up from 7.2%). Visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov for tips on how to effectively quarantine.
Ohio recorded its seventh straight week with an increase in new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 5,307 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 3,552 new cases per day over the previous 7 days.
Michigan State Updates: 11/4 - 11/10
Critical relief totaling nearly $100 million for more than 14,000 small businesses across the state has been awarded to date through the Michigan Small Business Restart Grant program, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Tuesday. The announcement brings the total amount awarded through the program to $95.6 million, up from $69 million announced at the end of September. A total of 5 percent of overall funding for the program was able to go toward administrative costs of the EDOs administering the grants.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on Michiganders Thursday to unite with the common goal of wearing masks, washing hands and practicing social distancing. She said she asked Republican legislative leaders in a letter over the weekend to pass a bill that would require masks to be worn in indoor establishments and crowded outdoor areas.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is opening a smartphone app that alerts users of potential exposure to COVID-19 to statewide use after piloting the program on the campus of Michigan State University. The MI COVID Alert app sends notifications based on contact-tracing data collected by state and local health officials about the previous movements and contacts a person had before testing positive for COVID-19.
Restaurants are no longer required to deny service to patrons who refuse to disclose their name and phone number to restaurant workers for COVID-19 contact-tracing purposes under an advisory memo from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The MDHHS has backed off a public health order that restaurants be required to deny service to any patron who refuses to give their name and phone number for coronavirus contact-tracing investigations. However, personal care businesses such as hair salons and spas, recreation businesses such as gyms and fitness centers and entertainment venues are still required to deny service to patrons who refuse to disclose their names and phone numbers, according to MDHHS.
Fewer than 200,000 Michiganders remain on the state's unemployment insurance program, the smallest total in the system since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the economy in April. However, another 12,862 filed new unemployment claims for the week ending October 31, down from 18,082 the previous week. Nearly 550,000 remain on either state or federal unemployment assistance in the state. While joblessness is shrinking thanks to an improving economy, the rebound is slowing and many unemployed are facing long-term joblessness.
Nearly 177,000 Michiganders filed for the federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which covers 13 weeks of unemployment benefits after state benefits are exhausted, for the week ending October 17. The weekly total is up more than 60,000 from September 26, according to Department of Labor data. Nearly 26,000 filed for federal extended benefits claims for the week ending October 17, up from roughly 8,400 the week prior. The extended benefit program covers benefits for those unemployed for more than 40 weeks.
Kentucky State Updates: 11/4 - 11/10
The White House recommends Americans, including students and teachers in K-12 schools, wear a mask and stop holding gatherings beyond their immediate household. The White House also backs effective best practices like limiting restaurant indoor capacity to less than 50% and restricting hours until cases and the test positivity rate decrease. The Governor added that an A.P. VoteCast exit poll said 71% of Kentucky voters strongly or somewhat favor requiring people to wear masks when around other people outside of their homes.
The Governor issued an executive order to renew the state’s face coverings mandate for another 30 days and signed an executive order that extends previous orders allowing pharmacists to dispense 30-day refills. The new orders will be effective for 30 days beginning November 5. “If you’re not wearing a mask, you’re putting yourself at a real risk for contracting COVID,” said Governor Beshear.
As of November 5, 80 counties have been upgraded to red. This is the most dangerous period of the pandemic so far: Today’s new cases report is one of Kentucky’s highest ever. On November 4, the United States recorded more than 100,000 new daily cases, the first time any country in the world has done so. “This means we just need more out of everybody,” said Governor Beshear. “It’s got to be a concerted community effort everywhere this virus is out of control.” To see a list of red zone counties, click here. Governor Beshear reminded community leaders, schools, businesses and residents in the state’s hardest hit areas to follow the Red Zone Reduction Recommendations.
The Governor encouraged Kentuckians to take advantage of free COVID-19 testing the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) is offering in collaboration with local and federal partners. To see the new free COVID-19 testing partnership locations and hours, click here. To see all COVID-19 testing locations in the commonwealth, click here.
The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, an effort to boost education and employability among adults, provides up to 60 hours of tuition for anyone who has not yet earned an associate degree in specific technical programs. The scholarship can begin covering tuition costs for more than 350 courses after federal, state and campus grants and scholarships are applied. Kentuckians can call 833-711-WRKS or visit https://workreadykentucky.com to receive assistance from advisors on how to enroll in the program. For more information, see the full release.
New COVID-19 cases have increased in Kentucky again this week, with an average of 2,002 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 1,680 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers continue to fluctuate.
