Ohio health director halts primary; gyms, theaters to close
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s health director issued an order halting the state’s primary ordering polls closed in Tuesday’s primary election in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The move came late Monday, after a county judge rejected a request championed by Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose to postpone in-person voting until June 2 to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus. The decision came as a mandatory three-week closure of schools began Monday, bars and restaurants were closed indefinitely, and the governor ordered gyms, rec centers and movie theaters closed. A look at the latest developments in Ohio:
CASES
As of Monday, there were 50 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Ohio, including 14 hospitalizations, with patients ranging from ages 14 to 86. There have been no reported deaths in the state.
For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death. The vast majority of people recover.
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SCHOOLS
Many children accompanied by parents, grandparents and guardians started the day Monday picking up federally funded breakfast to-go bags at designated schools. Many schools planned to provide breakfast and lunch to all children accompanied by an adult. DeWine said over the weekend that school closures could continue through the end of the school year.
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ELECTIONS
DeWine and LaRose, both Republicans, asked a judge on Monday to suspend the Tuesday primary, since neither official has the ability on his own. But Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye rejected the request. The administration then pivoted to having the health director order polls closed as a health emergency. DeWine said it didn’t make sense to be telling Ohioans, especially those 65 and older, to stay home but also go to polling places Tuesday. “We should not force them to make this choice, the choice between their health and their constitutional rights and their duties as American citizens,” DeWine said.
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JOBS
With numerous businesses ordered temporarily closed, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said it had received 12,000 unemployment insurance benefit applications online as of Sunday night, compared to under 600 the same time a week ago.
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SPORTS
Organizers of Cincinnati’s Flying Pig Marathon, scheduled for the first weekend of May, postponed it until October. The Columbus Blue Jackets announced plans to pay Nationwide Arena staff for the hours they would have worked in the hockey team’s last five scheduled home games.
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RELIGION
Ohio’s Roman Catholic bishops suspended all publicly celebrated masses through Easter on April 12, extending an earlier suspension of services through Palm Sunday one week earlier.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
