OHIO — As the most of the state’s COVID-19 health orders lifted at midnight Wednesday, some Ohio lawmakers celebrated the expiration by setting fire to their masks.
With the song “Fire” by Jimi Hendrix playing in the background and dousing a mask in lighter fluid, Attorney General Dave Yost set fire to his mask in a 15-second video posted to Twitter late Tuesday.
In honor of the expiring health orders: pic.twitter.com/BxqkgeH4MA
— Attorney General Dave Yost (@Yost4Ohio) June 2, 2021
“A little-known side effect of COVID-19 is a temporary loss of the sense of humor,” he wrote in response to the original tweet.
Former state treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel tweeted a 10-second video nearly a half hour later of himself in a stairwell, lighting a mask on fire with a lighter and dropping it to the floor.
FREEDOM 😷🔥 pic.twitter.com/EfJlH18BqA
— Josh Mandel (@JoshMandelOhio) June 2, 2021
The state ended almost all COVID-19 health restrictions, including the mask mandate at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. Masks are still required at hospitals, other health care facilities, and on transit since those sectors are expected to continue to maintain their own mask requirements in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, the Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer, said during a Wednesday press conference he understands the excitement surrounding the orders ending.
“The excitement or the enthusiasm that any of us might feel having reached a point in the pandemic where mask mandates are able to be lifted,” Vanderhoff said. “I do think that we — the caution you’ve heard all of us express about relaxing our guard too much about COVID-19 and the it’s continuing threat to be heeded as well.”
Businesses can allow vaccinated and unvaccinated patrons into their establishments without masks, but owners can decide whether their business will require masks. To learn more about the changes, click here.
As the state fully reopens, COVID-19 cases are at the lowest level since June 2020. The seven-day average is currently 566 cases, according to state data. Ohio recorded 622 cases Tuesday, which is below the 21-day average of 801.
The state also lifted the health orders on the day Ohio will announce the second winners of Vax-a-Million lottery, which is an effort through the Ohio Department of Health to increase the vaccination rate.
