Complete Story
01/05/2021
COVID-19 Updates from Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky
Ohio State Updates: 12/30 - 1/5
Governor DeWine recapped Phases 1A and 1B of Ohio's vaccine distribution plan. Because the availability of the vaccine remains limited in Ohio and across the country, Ohio is taking a phased approach that prioritizes the most vulnerable citizens, those in the healthcare field, and school staff members. In total, Phase 1B includes an estimated 2.2 million people. Ohio is currently receiving roughly 100,000 vaccines each week, although that number could increase if more vaccines are approved for administration.
Lt. Governor Husted announced that the seventh round of TechCred – a program that helps businesses upskill their current and incoming workforce with tech-focused credentials – is now open until January 29. Ohio businesses can receive up to $2,000 for each tech-focused credential earned, up to $30,000 per employer each application period. To learn more and apply, businesses can visit TechCred.Ohio.Gov.
Governor DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health extended Ohio's 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until January 23, 2021. The extension is necessary until Ohio can determine if it will see a post-holiday case surge that impacts hospitals. The curfew does not apply to those going to and from work, those who have an emergency, or those who need medical care.
The governor continued a travel advisory for all individuals coming into Ohio from states reporting positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15% or higher. Those traveling from one of the following states should self-quarantine for 14 days at home or in a hotel: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
The self-quarantine recommendation applies to those who live in Ohio and to people who are traveling into Ohio from any of these states. Ohio's positivity rate, an indicator of the percentage of people who have tested positive for COVID-19, was 14.8% over the last 7 days (up from 14.0%). Visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov for tips on how to effectively quarantine.
Ohio recorded an increase in new COVID-19 cases, with an average of 7,438 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 6,561 new cases per day over the previous 7 days.
Michigan State Updates: 12/30 - 1/5
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration is loosening restrictions on access to COVID-19 vaccines, announcing Wednesday that vaccinations will begin Monday for teachers, child care providers, prison guards, police officers and people over age 65. The changes announced Wednesday allow individuals ages 65-74 in Phase 1C to get in line for vaccines along with teachers, police officers and people over age 75 who are in Phase 1B of the state's four-phase vaccination prioritization plan. The first phase of mass inoculations is called 1A and is limited to health care workers, paid or unpaid, including those who do not have direct contact with patients, as well as residents of long-term care facilities. Seniors can book appointments by contacting county health departments and other local vaccine clinics. Essential workers including police, firefighters, prison and jail staff, pre-K-12 teachers and child care providers will be notified by their employers about clinic dates and locations. Officials stressed that there will be limited appointments available.
Vaccination Phases are as follows:
- Phase 1A: Paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials and are unable to work from home as well as residents in long term care facilities.
- Phase 1B: Persons 75 years of age or older and frontline essential workers in critical infrastructure.
- Phase 1C: Individuals 16 years of age or older at high risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 infection and some other essential workers whose position impacts life, safety and protection during the COVID-19 response.
- Phase 2: Individuals 16 years of age or older.
These prioritizations may change as more information on vaccine effectiveness and additional vaccination products become available. MDHHS has provided additional prioritization guidance within these categories. It is important to note that vaccination in one phase may not be complete before vaccination in another phase begins.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is distributing 3.5 million free masks as part of the state’s Mask Up, Mask Right campaign. Free KN95 masks provided by MDHHS will be distributed by community organizations, including local MDHSS offices, health departments and Area Agency on Aging offices. Masking right includes wearing one of three options of masks that provide stronger protection: three-layered washable cloth face coverings, three-layered disposable masks or KN95 masks. It also includes wearing the mask correctly: having it secured over the nose and mouth and snugly fitting without gaps. KN95 masks are similar to but should not be confused with N95 masks that are intended for health care workers who are engaged as part of their work in higher-risk settings.
Residents who need masks can pick one up from partner sites across the state. Find a distribution site at Michigan.gov/MaskUpMichigan or call the COVID-19 hotline at 888-535-6136.
New Michigan COVID-19 cases have increased last week with an average of 3,258 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 2,729 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers continue to fluctuate.
Update: Kentucky OSHA’s Proposed Injury And Illness Reporting Rule Is In Effect
Source: Fisher Phillips, December 21, 2020
With such little fanfare that it may have escaped many employers’ attention, the Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s Department of Workplace Standards recently implemented final amendments to its injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting requirements. Originally proposed in February but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these new rules quietly took effect without an accompanying announcement from the state. But make no mistake – the changes that are now on the books will affect your injury and illness reporting in Kentucky. What do you need to know about this critical development?
The Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s New Requirements
We summarized the proposed rules soon after they were released by the agency. Although certain provisions of the proposed amendments were found to be deficient by the Kentucky Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee in June 9, the key portions of the amendments were adopted and became effective on September 29. Again, as noted above, these rules took effect without the usual public announcement or other publicity that would reasonably put employers on notice of their new obligations.
Kentucky State Updates: 12/30 - 1/5
The Kentucky COVID-19 hotline, 800-722-5725, is now open 24 hours per day, seven days a week, for questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. The Governor noted this hotline cannot be used to schedule appointments for getting a vaccine; instead, it can be used to learn more about the safety of the vaccine. Governor Beshear said he will continually update Kentuckians as the vaccine becomes more widely available. A new vaccine dashboard has been launched on kycovid19.ky.gov where Kentuckians can learn more about the vaccine, its planned distribution stages and progress of its rollout across the state.
Gov. Beshear said the commonwealth is in a stronger position to help Kentuckians as we emerge from this pandemic after the Kentucky Supreme Court reinstated an almost $1.3 billion award for Kentucky in a judgment against PokerStars. In 2008, J. Michael Brown, then-Secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, brought actions on behalf of the commonwealth in Franklin Circuit Court seeking to stop the unregulated, untaxed and illegal offshore gambling operations that were operating in Kentucky.
Several long-term care facilities in the commonwealth began administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccinations follow a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that the initial phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program should be offered to health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities. Walgreens and CVS are providing services to the facilities, including follow-up visits. The CDC estimates completion of vaccine distribution to long-term care facility residents within the next four-to-five weeks.
The governor reminded Kentuckians that the CDC has extended its moratorium on evictions through January 31, 2021. The Governor renewed a previous executive order mandating that the CDC moratorium apply in Kentucky. The CDC order and the tenant declaration required by the CDC order and by the Governor’s order are available online.
Gov. Beshear signed Executive Order 2020-1057 that extends previous orders allowing pharmacists to dispense 30-day refills. The current executive order is set to expire at the end of January 3; the new order will be effective for 30 days beginning January 4.
New COVID-19 cases have increased in Kentucky this week, with an average of 2,914 new cases per day over the last 7 days compared to an average of 2,009 new cases per day over the previous 7 days. Day-to-day numbers continue to fluctuate.
