Gov. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, on Sunday defended coronavirus mitigation efforts in his state that have especially hurt small businesses — saying they helped save lives.
In an interview on CBS News’ “Face The Nation,” DeWine said “it is understandable that people are upset” with restrictions designed to slow the spread of a virus that has killed 332,000.
“It is nine months into this. People are tired of it,” he said. “I get it. And we've asked people to make sacrifices.
“But my message to the people of Ohio continues to be we should do everything we can to save lives. And hope is there. The vaccine is here. It is going to take a few months for everybody to get it, but this is not the time to pull back. This is not the time to give up. Small businesses have been hit very, very hard, but you have to balance that with saving lives.”
DeWine said Ohio residents are “used to” local government’s involvement in a crisis, but lamented the pandemic “is once in 100 years. We haven't seen anything like this at all.”
“I think one of the things that I have found good about it, frankly, is that I've gotten to know [Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen] Whitmer, and I've gotten to know all of our neighboring governors.”
“We talk quite a bit. Frankly, we have a common enemy,” he said. “And the common enemy is this virus. And we're battling back against it.”
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