COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Most teachers will be required to wear masks or face shields at Ohio schools that resume in-person classes this fall, and face coverings are strongly recommended for students in third grade and above, Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday as he shared long-awaited guidance for districts considering whether and how to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

State officials are urging schools to use social distancing, vigilantly assess symptoms, provide hand sanitizer, and thoroughly clean school spaces, but the guidance leaves many details up to the districts.

With widespread agreement that it’s important to get children back into school buildings when safely possible, the guidance is aimed at balancing safety, local control of schools and the state’s obligation to educate children, DeWine said.

Some districts already moved ahead with their own proposals. Columbus, the state’s largest district, this week announced plans for all-online classes for high school students at least through the fall, and younger students in classrooms only two days a week.

The school guidance comes as the number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases in Ohio continues to climb. The state’s one-day tally Wednesday topped 1,000 for the first time in two months.

Mayor Andrew Ginther announced that Columbus will join Dayton in mandating mask wearing in public, beginning Friday, as the capital sees a rise in positive cases, especially among youth. Similar proposals are emerging in other cities, including Akron and Cincinnati.

The Columbus order will make exceptions for those with medical conditions and children younger than 6. Ginther called it “an opportunity to take personal responsibility” and noted police won’t cite people for not wearing face coverings.

“We cannot enforce our way to success,” he said. “We need compliance and we need people to step up.”

Also Thursday, the state said the slowdown in Ohio unemployment claims continues as it reported an ongoing decline in the number of continued applications for benefits driven by the state shutdown orders.

More than 1.4 million jobless claims have been filed in Ohio in the past 15 weeks, and more than $4.7 billion made in payments, the Department of Job and Family Services said.