COVID-19 Information on Stay-Home Order

Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton is ordering all Ohioans to stay home or at their place of residence, effective 11:59 p.m. March 23, except for essential activities, essential governmental functions, or to operate essential businesses and operations. Homes or residences include houses, rental units, hotels, motels, shared rental units, shelters, and similar facilities. The order will be in effect until 11:59 p.m. April 6, 2020, unless it is rescinded or modified before then. For full details, please read the order.

Additional highlights of the order are below.
Businesses (including for-profit, non-profit, or educational entities)

• Non-essential businesses and operations must cease all activities except minimum basic operations.
• All essential businesses and operations are encouraged to remain open. Exemptions
• People experiencing homelessness.
• Incarcerated individuals. They are to follow the guidance of the facility in which they are confined.
• People leaving the home for essential activities (see below).
• People who work for or must obtain services from essential businesses and services (see below).

Essential activities

• Seeing to the health and safety of oneself, a family or household member, or person who is unable to or should not leave their home (including pets).
• Obtaining necessary supplies and services for oneself, a family or household member, or person who is unable to or should not leave their home, or to deliver those services or supplies to others.
• Engaging in outdoor activity, provided individuals comply with social distancing. Individuals may go to public parks and open outdoor recreation areas; however, public access playgrounds are to be closed.
• Engaging in certain types of work providing essential products and services at essential businesses or
  operations or to otherwise carry out minimum basic operations.
• Taking care of others, such as a family member, friend, or pet in another household, and to transport
  family members, friends, or pets. Attending weddings and funerals is permitted.

Essential businesses and services

• Healthcare and Public Health Operations
• Human Services Operations
• Essential Infrastructure
• Essential Governmental Functions
• Critical infrastructure workers
• Stores that sell groceries and medicine
• Food and beverage production and agriculture
• Organizations that provide charitable and social services
• Religious entities and gatherings, including weddings and funerals
• News media
• First Amendment protected speech
• Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation
• Financial and insurance institutions
• Hardware and supply stores
• Critical trades
• Mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery, and pick-up services.
• Educational institutions.
• Laundry services.
• Restaurants providing carry-out, third party delivery, and curbside pickup.
• Businesses that sell, manufacture, or supply products needed for people to work from home or support material for essential businesses.
• Transportation services.
• Home-based care and services.
• Residential facilities and shelters.
• Professional services.
  • Includes legal, accounting, insurance, and real estate services.
• Manufacturing companies, distributors, and supply chain companies producing and supplying
  essential products and services.
• Critical labor union functions.
• Hotels and motels, to the extent used for lodging and delivery or carry-out food services.
• Funeral and related services.

Travel
Public travel is prohibited, with these exceptions:

• Any travel related to the provision of or access to essential activities, essential governmental functions,
  essential businesses and operations, or minimum basic operations.
• Travel to care for elderly, minors, dependents, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable persons.
• Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for
  receiving meals, and any other related services.
• Travel to return to a place of residence from outside the jurisdiction.
• Travel required by law enforcement or court order, including to transport children pursuant to a custody agreement.
• Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the state.
• Travel into or out of the state to maintain essential businesses and operations and minimum basic operations.

People riding on public transit must comply with social distancing requirements (see below) to the greatest extent feasible.

For additional information, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov.

For answers to your COVID-19 questions, call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

If you or a loved one are experiencing anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic, help is available. Call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 (1-800-846-8517 TTY); connect with a trained counselor through the Ohio Crisis Text Line by texting the keyword “4HOPE” to 741 741; or call the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services help line at 1-877-275-6364 to find resources in your community.