Ohio Health Director’s Order Consolidated
As many of you are aware, Governor DeWine on Monday (April 5) announced that the Ohio Department of Health has issued a simplified Health Director’s Order that streamlines previous orders into a single order which underscores the most important tenants of infection prevention. While some elements have changed, the new order focuses on the same defense measures against COVID-19 that have been previously required, such as wearing a mask, social distancing, limiting large gatherings, guidelines when outside and practicing good hand hygiene. Here are some highlights:
• There no longer is a spectator capacity limit for outdoor venues.
• Spectators are permitted to sit in pods of 10 (rather than six), and they do not have to be from the same household. However,
that pod must still maintain six-feet social distancing from other pods or individuals. All other individuals must continue to
maintain six-feet social distancing.
• Those not in the contest can be in a pod of 10 so long as that pod maintains six-feet social distancing from other pods or
individuals. Conferences/leagues or schools may want to consider continuing policies that maintain six-feet social distancing
for everyone not in the contest to help slow the contracting and/or spreading of COVID-19.
• All spectators and those not in the contest, including coaches, must continue to wear facial coverings unless six-foot social
distancing can be maintained (or if one of the exceptions for not wearing a facial covering is met).
• The local health department has the authority to enact policies that are more stringent than the Health Director’s Order.
“As before, the key for our school administrators, coaches, participants and spectators is to use common sense when conducting or attending our spring sports contests or events in order to slow the contracting and/or spreading of COVID-19,” said OHSAA Executive Director Doug Ute. “We want our students to continue to be able to participate, especially those in spring sports who were unable to conduct their seasons a year ago. With some areas seeing an increase in the virus among teenagers, with the majority in that population not having been vaccinated, now is not the time to relax and let our guards down.”
The bullet points above and revised Ohio Health Director’s Order take precedence over any other ODH- or OHSAA-issued documents. Here is a link to the revised Order: