COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Governor Mike DeWine began his daily briefing by getting directly to business, both literally and figuratively, on Thursday. 

The governor said Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who has been at every briefing since the start of the coronavirus crisis, would not be present for today's because he is busy meeting with a panel of business leaders focused on finding ways to responsibly restart the states economy after imposing a near-total shutdown in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. 

DeWine went on to say today's briefing would go no more than one hour, as he plans to take part in a conference call with the United States president on the same subject. 

Quoting Winston Churchill, DeWine said we are entering a new phase in the fight against the virus. 

"On November 10, 1942, Winston Churchill said this: 'Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning,'" DeWine said, saying that is where he sees the state right now. 

 The governor spoke of the necessity to begin reopening businesses, but added that must be done with extreme caution. 

"We have an obligation, as we start back, and it's so important for businesses to keep employees safe and their customers safe," DeWine said. 

He called the coronavirus crisis a "two-front war," with one front being the medical battle and the other being the economic one. 

DeWine said he'd gotten his first report from the economic council he assembled to look into ways to restart the economy, much like the panel of healthcare professionals, led by Dr. Amy Acton, who informed decisions on preventing the spread. 

He said there is still no completed plan for what the next steps will be, but that a plan is beginning to form. 

The governor said the beginning of the reopening of the state will begin gradually on May 1, starting with companies that can demonstrate safety procedures. 

The process will be phased in over time, allowing for time to gauge how well the state is managing the reopening without significant increases in new cases of the virus. 

DeWine cautioned that there will still need to be a lot of work done between now and May 1, including laying out specific parameters for what businesses can reopen and under what safety protocols. Some examples he gave of possible safety measures include providing for social distancing between employees, providing alternatives to public transportation and limiting visitors on site to only those who are essential. 

Dr. Acton said the next steps will still take time, but she's grateful for the cooperation of Ohioans in staying at home and helping to avoid overwhelming the hospital system. 

While many who contract the virus won't require hospitalization, those who do often need intensive care. That, coupled with the extremely infectious nature of the disease, lead to the state's "stay at home" order. 

As of Thursday, 21 percent of the confirmed cases in Ohio are healthcare workers. 

Acton said, again, that there will be many things that won't be the same once the order is lifted. She compared wearing masks in public to having to take off your shoes at the airport, which began after 9/11, a part of life that did not exist prior but is now widely accepted. 

"This is gonna be something that we do for at least a year or so until we're done with the virus," DeWine said. 

He stopped short of issuing a mandate that requires the masks be worn, as some other governors have done, including Pennsylvania and New York. 

Another aspect of life that is still left in limbo is how and when schools may be permitted to return. DeWine said he still needs to speak to some more superintendents, but expects to revisit the issue some time early next week. 

As for the final phase, which would be returning to large gatherings like concerts, fairs and sporting events, DeWine said they will remain "problematic" as long as the coronavirus exists. 

The governor said he's not ruling out finding a way for allowing these events to resume, but said large gatherings will be among the last things to happen due to the challenges they represent. 

"When you get into big events, the stuff we like, it's gonna be tough," DeWine said.