Coronavirus Update 4-28-2020 number 2: Ohio’s reopening plan 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 masks for all employees

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

 – Ferris Bueller

This morning, I wrote an entire post about the wise policy choice the State of Ohio made in mandating masks or facial covering for everyone entering a business moving forward. Then I conducted a webinar for over 200 people during which I spoke at length about this face-covering requirement.

What happened next? Ohio changed its mind.

Sometime between my webinar ending at noon (I know, because I was on Ohio’s Responsible RestartOhio website during the webinar) and 12:30, Ohio changed masking from required to recommended.

(It used to say, “No mask, no work, no service, no exception. Require face coverings for employees and clients/customers at all times.”)

This is not a good policy choice. As I wrote this morning (with the backing of science), “Any reopening plan that does not include masks or other face coverings is doomed to fail.” I am dismayed that Ohio has backtracked from this critical measure to stop the spread of COVID-19. I will absolutely be tuning in to Governor DeWine’s 2 pm briefing to learn why this change happened.