COLUMBUS – Many Ohioans will return to work next month, but work will look different with mandatory facial coverings or masks and lots of space between employees.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced a three-phase plan to reopen some businesses that have been closed because of concerns about spreading the novel coronavirus.

That plan includes restarting delayed medical procedures, a return to office work, reopening manufacturing plants and eventually allowing retail shops to reopen.

Some businesses, such as daycares, hair salons, gyms and dine-in restaurants, won’t reopen just yet.

DeWine is trying to balance two, often competing, forces: The desire to keep Ohioans safe from the virus and the need to return Ohioans to work after state officials imposed financially crippling restrictions.

Starting on Friday, hospital, medical, dental and veterinary procedures that do not require an overnight stay in a hospital can move forward, DeWine said. Non-essential medical procedures and surgeries were halted last month to preserve masks and other personal protective equipment.

"The hospitals are not full. We have space," DeWine said, adding the state's health care workers are still in need of personal protective equipment.

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On May 4, manufacturing, distribution, construction and office work can return.

On May 12, retail stores can reopen.

All of these businesses will need to follow health and hygiene protocols if they want to avoid penalties from their local health departments. Those requirements include mandating masks or facial coverings for all employees and customers, keeping six feet between people, daily disinfecting of common surfaces and staggering the arrival of employees.

Businesses will have to reduce capacity and sanitize work spaces throughout the day.

Ohio’s leaders are relying on employees and customers to police the places they work and shop. The arbiters will be local health departments, which are also tasked with tracking infections and counting cases. Oftentimes, enforcement is different across Ohio.

When asked by The Enquirer, DeWine didn't detail any specific options for employees with underlying health issues who are worried about returning to work.

"We would hope the employer would try to make arrangements for that valued employee," DeWine said. “I’m sure there will be some difficult decisions.”

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted encouraged businesses to phase in employees with health conditions last.

When to reopen?

Most plans for reopening the economy – from President Donald Trump's three phases to the National Governors Association's proposal – require a declining number of new COVID-19 cases, adequate testing and enough experts to trace those potentially infected.

Will all of those pieces be in place by Friday? Probably not.

In the past five days, Ohio has reported an average of 442 new cases a day, an average increase of 3% each day. Monday's 362 newly reported cases is lower than the average. DeWine noted Monday's reported deaths and hospitalizations were also less than the five-day average.

“We’re not there – we haven’t had two weeks coming down but we’re moving,” DeWine said. “We’re moving in the right direction. It’s because of what you have done.”

Testing for COVID-10 has been limited by a lack of swabs and chemicals. The state’s hospitals and labs have been processing between 2,000 and 4,000 COVID-19 tests daily.

The goal is to ramp up testing dramatically by the end of May, testing as many as 22,000 people per day. But many Ohioans will return to work before that happens.

State health officials are working to increase contact tracing by using former health care workers and students. On Monday, Ohio had about 685 local health department workers trained to do this job. The state hopes to increase that number to 1,750 by June 1.

In light of these limitations, is it the right time to reopen the state?

"With any decision, there is a risk," DeWine said. "What we did today is a risk. Doing nothing is a risk."

DeWine is facing pressure from business owners and fellow Republicans to provide a path back to normal.

On Monday morning, more than 30 GOP lawmakers in the Ohio House of Representatives signed onto a list of guiding principles, which included “We believe it is time to trust Ohioans. They have respectfully followed the guidelines and NOW is the time to responsibly open all business.”

DeWine said later Monday that reopening everything on Friday would be "totally irresponsible."

House Speaker Larry Householder said House Republicans feel disrespected that their opinions were largely ignored. He said the DeWine administration has failed to help small retailers, many of which are closed while national chains remain open.

"As long as small retailers continue to be shut down while national chains are allowed to remain open, government is assisting in the demise of many great small businesses," Householder said in a statement. "The big get bigger and the small go away."

House Democrats want DeWine to consider more than just testing and contact tracing. They also suggested a focus on hygiene, worker protections and consumer confidence as well.

“As we begin this incremental process of 're-opening' our state, we must proceed with caution,” Minority Leader Emilia Sykes said.

Will Ohioans feel comfortable returning to work even if orders are lifted? Residents were divided on DeWine's plan to start reopening the economy on Friday in a Baldwin Wallace University poll released Monday.

The most common response to whether Ohio should open everything from daycares and playgrounds to retail stores and hair salons was "not yet."

753 deaths, more than 16,000 cases

As of Monday, there were 16,325 reported cases of COVID-19 in Ohio, including 626 probable cases diagnosed without a positive test result. In total, 753 people have died, including 41 probable deaths.

Cumulatively, 3,232 people have been hospitalized for the novel coronavirus. The Ohio Hospital Association estimates 1,065 people were hospitalized as of Monday. That’s the lowest number since April 19, when an estimated 1,040 were hospitalized.