5 things to know today about the coronavirus: Daycares allowed to return to normal class sizes soon

It is Wednesday, July 29, 2020, and these are five things to know about the coronavirus pandemic today.

Child care providers can return to pre-pandemic ratios and class sizes Aug. 9

In a coronavirus briefing on Tuesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that child care providers can return to pre-pandemic ratios and class sizes starting on Aug. 9, as long as they comply with state health guidelines including face coverings, temperature and symptom checks and frequent hand washing. This move was to make sure children will have somewhere to go when parents return to work, and DeWine cited concerns about families leaving children with grandparents, who are at high risk.

County fairs are now being limited to junior fairs starting July 31

In the same briefing, DeWine announced an order limiting all fairs starting July 31 or later to junior fairs of 4-H and FFA competitions, with no grandstand events, rides or games allowed. The governor cited outbreaks connected to other fairs as the reason for the new rule, saying Ohio was working on keeping crowds down while still allowing 4-H and FFA members to still show their projects.

Teachers union wants many schools to start online only

Ohio’s largest teachers union urged schools in counties rated level 3 or 4 on the state coronavirus alert system to start their school year entirely online. In this area, that would include Montgomery and Clark counties, which are both designated at level 3 because of “very high exposure and spread” of COVID-19. The union said it believed that reopening for in-person instruction too quickly “poses unacceptable risks to the lives and health of students, adults who work in schools, and the people they care for.”

Primary Health Solutions to host free drive-thru testing

Primary Health Solutions is hosting free drive-thru coronavirus testing at sites in Dayton and Butler County, including sites in Fairfield, Middletown and Trenton. Testing is available for all with or without insurance, but people who are insured are asked to bring their insurance information so the insurance company can be billed. Everyone who wants to be tested should also bring a photo ID.

Ohio State said it will only fill Ohio Stadium to a fifth of normal capacity

While some schools are continuing to question whether to allow spectators at games or whether to allow a fraction of the normal crowd, Ohio State University told season-ticket holders in an email that it had decided that it would only be allowing up to a fifth of Ohio Stadium’s normal capacity for the 2020 season. This would bring the maximum attendance to around 21,000 people. The college said the decision will lead to seat location changes, and that it would try to accommodate as many fans as had already paid for tickets as possible.

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