Local authorities said Friday that they have no idea what to expect Monday when Ohio Governor Mike DeWine plans to unveil a new plan in the state’s ongoing battle against COVID-19.
“We have no idea what that plan will look like or what personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies may be required, but we stand ready to fill in the gaps wherever we can when it comes to helping the public of Highland County stay compliant with state orders,” said Highland County Emergency Operations Center Public Information Officer Branden Jackman.
He said the county finished this week (through Friday) with a few more cases of COVID-19, new lab testing criteria, updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) symptom lists, and a look forward to Monday’s planned release of reopening guidelines.
“Locally, we finished with 10 total cases countywide. Of those 10 cases, six are what we consider recovered and no longer being monitored by the health department,” Jackman said in a news release. “Four are still actively infected. One is currently hospitalized out of the county, and three are resting at home and being checked on daily by the staff of the Highland County Health Department. Of the four active cases, two are lab-confirmed positives and two are probable cases based on the new CDC definition.”
Jackman said the center’s weekly Facebook Live event on Thursday was well received. It can still be viewed on the health department’s Facebook page. He said topics include flu vs. COVID, the use of gloves in the workplace, virus testing priorities, the symptoms of the new coronavirus, a picture of McClain High School seniors posing for a group picture on the football field in Greenfield, and the differences in types of testing available in the county.
He said the Highland County Emergency Operations Center staff meets at 8 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to share information.
Ohio released its daily COVID-19 numbers at 2 p.m. Friday and Jackman said the state continues to trend upward. He said that at the time of the statement, Ohio had 15,169 total cases, 3,053 hospitalizations with 920 of those requiring intensive care, and that 690 Ohioans have lost their fight with the virus.
“We’re all in this together. Be nice,” Jackman said.
