Mask Mandate Will Not Return In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine Says

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio's new COVID-19 cases are on the rise and health officials are warning residents about the risks of the virus' delta variant, but Gov. Mike DeWine has dismissed the idea of bringing back mask mandates.

During a tour of John Glenn International Airport, DeWine was asked if he was considering bringing back masks to stymie the spread of the virus. He summarily dismissed the idea, WLWT reported, arguing instead that people need to get vaccinated.

As of Sunday, 48 percent of Ohioans have received at least part of a COVID-19 vaccine, and only 45 percent of Ohioans have completed the vaccination process. New vaccinations have slowed considerably over the summer.

Despite evidence suggesting the Vax-a-Million lottery did not encourage Ohioans to get the vaccine, DeWine has hinted he will debut a new giveaway program to spur vaccinations, Fox 8 reported.

The delta variant is quickly becoming the dominant strand of COVID-19 in Ohio, said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the chief medical officer for the Ohio Department of Health.

People 50 and younger are now far more likely to be infected by the delta variant, Vanderhoff said. Those infections are also more likely to lead to hospitalizations. Unvaccinated people are at the highest risk of contracting delta, Vanderhoff said, and communities with low-vaccination rates could face "hyperlocal outbreaks," he added.