5 things to know today about the coronavirus: New alcohol rules and gathering recommendations

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

It is Friday, July 31, 2020, and these are five things to know about the coronavirus today.

Ohio mulling emergency rule to cut off alcohol sales at 10 p.m.

In an effort to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a proposed rule to cut off the state’s alcohol sales at 10 p.m. in all liquor-permitting establishments, to be voted on this morning by the Ohio Liquor Control Commission. The rule is aimed at thinning out the crowd in bars, which DeWine says “lend themselves to a revolving door of people in close contact, oftentimes indoors.”

Gov. DeWine released new recommendations on gatherings

While previously, public, mass gatherings were limited to 10 people, DeWine has released new recommendations on all other gatherings, including limiting those at homes to close friends and family and 10 or less peopled. The recommendations also includes wearing a mask at all times, and for residents in counties with level 3 or 4 public health advisories to limit hosting or attending gatherings of all sizes.

Results are in from the pop-up testing sites in Montgomery County

More than 200 people who went to the coronavirus pop-up testing sites in Montgomery County were positive for the virus, according to Public Health – Dayton and Montgomery County. In total, 3,704 people were tested, with 209 testing positive.

Ohio issued, then rescinded a rule banning using hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus

After the Ohio Board of Pharmacy issued a rule this week preventing hydroxychloroquine from being sold in the state to treat the coronavirus, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called for the board to recall the rule. The board withdrew the rule, citing “feedback received by the medical and patient community” as well as the governor’s request, though saying it would reexamine the rule with the help of the State Medical Board of Ohio.

Jobless claims on the rise, GDP shrinking as federal unemployment about to expire

New federal and state jobless statistics have been released yesterday, showing that the recovery from the virus is slowing down. Claims for first-time unemployment benefits rose from the week before to just over 1.4 million claims in one week. The extra $600 in federal pandemic assistance is set to expire today.

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