COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two public health orders loosening restrictions for mass gatherings were signed by Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud on Tuesday.
While wedding receptions, funeral repasts, proms, and other events at banquet facilities must still comply with previously signed health orders - including those regarding restaurants and facial coverings - they are no longer bound by a 300-person limit.
The order states that the maximum number of spectators in any indoor sports or entertainment venue must be limited to 25% of fixed, seated capacity. For similar outdoor venues, that jumps to 30% fixed, seated capacity.
Both orders went into effect Tuesday just after noon.
DeWine announced both of these new orders during a press conference Thursday of last week.
"This is a start. If the situation improves in spring and summer, this could be expanded," DeWine said during Thursday's briefing.
While the state continues on its path to reopening, DeWine said his team will continue to watch the numbers, as there is concern surrounding the emergence of more contagious variants of the virus.
"The whole goal here will be for all of us to get back to where we want to be, to get back to what our life was before the pandemic. There's a bridge to that life, and we have to take the bridge," he said Thursday.
DeWine said that "bridge" is made up of two things: the vaccine and wearing a mask.
On Monday of this week, DeWine expanded vaccine eligibility to new groups of people, including people with certain medical conditions, occupations with a high risk of exposure and those 60 and above.
Those medical conditions include:
- Those with Type 1 diabetes
- Those who are pregnant
- Those who have bone marrow transplants
- Those with ALS
Qualifying occupations include:
- Law enforcement and corrections officers
- Childcare services
- Funeral services
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