Complete Story
07/15/2020
Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky COVID-19 Updates
Ohio State Press Conference Summary: 7/8 - 7/14
The Ohio Department of Health will update county rankings every Thursday. Any county that increases to Red Alert Level 3 or Purple Level 4 will automatically be included in the face-covering mandate. Any county that decreases from Red Alert Level 3 to Orange Alert Level 2 will automatically be released from the face-covering requirement. Continuing at Level 3 this week are Butler, Clermont, Cuyahoga, Fairfield, Franklin, Hamilton, Lorain, Montgomery, Pickaway, Summit, Trumbull and Wood counties.
To help K-12 schools and institutions of higher education address increasing costs associated with the COVID-19 safety measures, Governor DeWine and leaders of the Ohio General Assembly are requesting that the Ohio Controlling Board approve an initial request on Monday to allocate $200 million for higher education and $100 million for K-12 schools from the Coronavirus Relief Fund. The funding would be available to all public and private schools and for all two and four-year colleges and universities, both public and private, including adult career tech providers.
Lt. Governor Husted announced the launch of the Individual Micro-credential Assistance Program (IMAP) which will provide $2.5 million in grants to help unemployed Ohioans earn in-demand, technology-focused credentials that will give them a leg up in finding a job in the increasingly tech-focused economy. Training providers interested in applying can find more information at IMAP.Development.Ohio.gov. The deadline to apply is July 24, 2020.
Governor DeWine recently signed an executive order enabling the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to use federal funding authorized under the CARES Act to enhance the state’s SharedWork program. Participating employers agree to reduce the affected employees’ hours by a uniform percentage, between 10 percent and 50 percent, for up to 52 weeks. In return, those employees receive SharedWork compensation (which is a prorated unemployment benefit) and, while federally available, may also receive the Pandemic Unemployment Compensation benefit each week.
OhioMeansJobs.com currently has over 162,000 job postings, with 90,000 (56%) paying between $30,000 - $79,000. Approximately 107,000 jobs require less than a bachelor’s degree, while 40,000 require either a bachelor’s degree or associate degree.
Ohio continued to see an increase in new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 1,299 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 1,045 new cases per day over the previous 7 days.
Michigan State Press Conference Summary: 7/8 - 7/14
Governor Whitmer Takes Swift Action to Save Lives, Signs Executive Order Requiring Mask Use in all Indoor Public Spaces
Following an uptick in COVID-19 cases, Governor Whitmer says “Mask Up, Michigan!” Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed executive order 2020-147, which reiterates that individuals are required to wear a face covering whenever they are in an indoor public space. It also requires the use of face coverings in crowded outdoor spaces. Most significantly, the order requires any business that is open to the public to refuse entry or service to people who refuse to wear a face covering, with limited exceptions. Under the governor’s order, businesses that are open to the public must refuse entry and service to individuals who fail to comply, and must post signs at all entrances instructing customers of their legal obligation to wear a face covering while inside.
The executive order went into effect on Monday, July 13. A willful violation of the order is a misdemeanor subject to a $500 criminal penalty, but no term of confinement may be imposed on individuals who violate the mask requirement.
No individual is subject to penalty under the order for removing a mask while engaging in religious worship at a house of religious worship, although consistent with guidance from the CDC, congregants are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings during religious services. Those who are exempt from wearing a mask in Michigan businesses include people younger than five years old, those who cannot medically tolerate a face covering, and those who are eating or drinking while seated at a food service establishment.
Under the governor’s order, businesses must post signs at all entrances instructing customers of their legal obligation to wear a face covering while inside – to assist employers with this requirement, a print-ready poster that businesses may use is available online. LEO and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) have a set of online resources at Michigan.gov/COVIDWorkplaceSafety that provides guidelines, posters for employees and customers, factsheets, educational videos and a reopening checklist to keep workplaces safe.
Governor Whitmer Extends Declaration of Emergency Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases
After every region in Michigan saw an uptick in new COVID-19 cases over the past three weeks, Governor Gretchen Whitmer took swift action by signing a new executive order to save lives. Executive Order 2020-151 extends the governor’s emergency and disaster declaration until August 11, 2020 at 11:59pm.
The health, economic, and social harms of the COVID-19 pandemic remain widespread and severe, and they continue to constitute a statewide emergency and disaster. Though local health departments have some limited capacity to respond to cases as they arise within their jurisdictions, state emergency operations are necessary to bring this pandemic under control in Michigan and to build and maintain infrastructure to stop the spread of COVID-19, trace infections, and quickly direct additional resources to hot-spots as they emerge.
Michigan Small Business Restart Program to provide $100 million in grants for COVID-19 recovery efforts
The State of Michigan has appropriated $100 million of federal CARES Act funding through SB 690, signed into law by Governor Whitmer last week, to implement the Michigan Small Business Restart Program to support Michigan’s small businesses that are reopening and have experienced a loss of income as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. It will provide grants to small businesses around Michigan working to recover from the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 virus, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced.
The Michigan Small Business Restart Program application went live starting Wednesday, July 15 at michiganbusiness.org/restart and will run through Wednesday, August 5. Funds can be used as working capital to support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments, utility expenses or other similar expenses.
Michigan saw another increase in new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 526 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 394 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers have fluctuated over the course of the week.
Kentucky State Press Conference Summary: 7/8 - 7/14
On July 9, Governor Beshear announced a new executive order requiring Kentuckians to wear face coverings under several circumstances for the next 30 days. According to health experts, wearing face coverings not only protects others, it also lowers the infection risk for those wearing masks by 65%.
The executive order states that face coverings will be required:
- While inside, or waiting in line to enter, any: retail establishment; grocery store; pharmacy; hair salon/barbershop; nail salon/spa; tattoo parlor; child care facility; restaurant or bar (when not seated and consuming food or beverage); health care setting, or; any other indoor public space in which it is difficult to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet from all individuals who are not members of that person’s household
- While waiting for or riding on public transportation or paratransit, or while riding in a taxi, private car service, or ride-sharing vehicle, or driving any of the above while customers are present
- While in outdoor public spaces in which the person cannot maintain a physical distance of six feet from all individuals who are not members of the person’s household and is not otherwise covered by previously issued guidance
There are several exemptions to the order, including children who are 5 or younger and any person with a disability, or a physical or mental impairment, that prevents them from safely wearing a face covering. To read the executive order and more exemptions, click here. The new executive order is in addition to current Healthy at Work and Healthy at School guidance already in place for many businesses and schools.
People who witness dangerous non-compliance with coronavirus mandates, including requirements for mask wearing, social distancing and sanitation, are encouraged to call the COVID-19 reporting hotline at 833-KY SAFER (833-597-2337). To file a complaint online, click here.
The Governor reminded Kentuckians with outstanding unemployment insurance claims to answer their phones when called by contractor Ernst and Young’s number: 502-333-9130. About 50% of calls currently aren’t being answered.
Kentucky saw another weekly increase in new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 386 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 275 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers continue to fluctuate.
