On June 17, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that the state emergency in Ohio caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted effective June 18, 2021. He urged those who have not yet received the vaccine to find a clinic near them.
Gov. DeWine also released new information regarding visitation to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Beginning June 18, the state regulations which describe how visits should occur will be removed. This will allow residents to have more than two visitors, and there is no longer a scheduling requirement. Ohio nursing homes are expected to continue to follow federal guidance from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and both nursing homes and assisted living facilities will be expected to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. A testing requirement still remains for staff members who are unvaccinated, and they will need to continue to be tested twice per week.
The Ohio Department of Aging will be hosting a series of webinars to ensure facilities have access to all the information and resources necessary for safe and healthy operations. More information about these webinars can be found on the department’s website.