It sure is hard to break from routine. Earlier this week I used the last of the hand soap in the pump dispenser. Without a second thought, I unscrewed the cap and poured in some water to get that last little bit of soap out of the container.

“Jared Michael Warner!” I heard from the bathroom a while later. My mind raced to think of what I could have done to merit the use of my middle name. My wife walked into the room holding my slightly watered-down soap dispenser in her hand. Apparently, it is not wise to water the soap in the midst of a global pandemic. Especially after I spend all day telling people to wash their hands.

We live in a community where handshakes are second nature, stopping to chat on the way through the grocery store is expected, and a Sunday isn’t complete without an afternoon visit with extended family. We are all still trying to get used to this new normal that we find ourselves in.

Models provided by Ohio State University and the Ohio Department of Health indicate that we are still in the early stages of this pandemic. There are some estimates that show Ohio’s surge in hospitalizations happening in about two weeks, with a high point in the middle of May. I would guess that Highland County will be a little later than our largest population centers.

This new version of normal is going to be here a while, and it is going to take some getting used to. I have been proud of how our community has pulled together, and how so many of us have changed up our routines. It is going to get harder over the next few weeks, but we all need to stick with our social and physical distancing, wash our hands, avoid contact with our high-risk groups, and keep working hard to slow down this virus. And whatever you do, don’t water the soap!

Sincerely,

Jared Warner

Highland County

Health Commissioner