Wood County EMA Situation Report for May 1
Gov. Mike DeWine- Stay Safe Ohio is the new order. During the month of May we are going to be opening a number of things up. The “how” is very important. We want to keep employees safe working in these businesses, we also want to keep customers safe. If that business is going to thrive, people have to feel that every precaution is being taken. We have to engender confidence and let people know that it is as safe as it can made. The virus is still here.
Today, hospitals, dentists, veterinarians will be much more open, almost back to normal operations. Monday, offices, industry, construction are allowed to open. Many will likely continue to work from home. Best practices now apply to any companies that have been open, and those opening back up. Everyone is to follow the same guidelines. On May 12 retail stores are open, starting now retailers can schedule appointments. Curbside can also be done if that retail business chooses. Working groups have been put together taking business people and health people, putting them together to let them come up with best practices that will actually work.
There is a restaurant group starting to form whose calls start today, there’s also a hair salon group being put together. Librarians and others are also being put together to see how this can work, outdoor recreation, sports groups, theatre and arts, travel, childcare, adult day care. Some will come on quickly. We can do two things at once, we can stay safe, we can protect each other, we can protect our most vulnerable, and at the same time move our business back and get people back to work.
We are going to watch the health numbers. One of the key indicators is hospitalizations. I understand many of you think I am going to slow and others think I am moving too fast. Places where we cannot control distancing aren’t going to open as fast. We have to stick together and appeal to the better angels of our nature.
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted- We are listening and trying to come up with a plan that balances health, business, and personal freedoms. Stay at home order is now Stay Safe Ohio order. This is for a reason. This represents a transition to a next phase. Don’t focus on the dates given. So many things that can happen between now and then. Most of the economy is opened up under this order, with safety standards in place. We removed the essential designation, we have moved on. Curbside pickup and appointments are allowable during now and May 12th window. In regards to the order, we don’t expect all Ohioans will do the right thing because it says so. We had to set a standard to protect the vulnerable. This is designed to protect them and collectively get through this sooner. Understand the spirit of what the order is about, it’s our collective responsibility. There have to be standards for the egregious violators to be held accountable. I don’t enjoy wearing a mask, but I am going to do it. Because there are a lot of people in my life that are vulnerable and I consider it my personal responsibility to do so. Hang in there together for a little bit longer.
Dr. Amy Acton- Our numbers continue to look pretty much the same. Hospitalizations have gone up. ICU admissions are about average. The goal of this administration is to listen and hear every Ohioan. We will do this together. We will advance as fast as possible and take care of one another.
“Let me be real candid, to be able to do this and be able to move forward, I need your help. I don’t think that’s going to be hard. Ohioans have done an amazing job… flattening the curve, staying home, doing things that matter.” –Governor Mike DeWine
Ohio Confirmed Cases: 17962
Ohio Probable Cases: 781
Ohio Total Confirmed plus Probable: 18743
Ohio Hospitalizations: 3634
ICU Admissions: 1056
Ohio Confirmed COVID Deaths: 922
Ohio Probable COVID Deaths: 80
Wood County Cases (total plus probable): 174
Wood County Hospitalizations: 52
Wood County Long Term Care Cases: 118
Wood County Deaths: 23
County EOC Objectives:
1. Coordinate the county’s response to limit spread of COVID-19; and maintain medical care.
2. Provide timely, clear, and consistent messaging to the public, stakeholders and media on the status of COVID-19 and actions the public can take to keep themselves safe.
3. Determine how county agencies will continue delivery of essential services to Wood County residents while following COVID-19 public health guidelines.
4. Prevent, identify, mitigate, and respond to COVID19 hotspots within the county.
EMA:
- An abbreviated version of this report can be found at: http://woodcountyema.org/covid-19/.
- Also, please contact us if:
- If you have PPE to donate, if you have any PPE needs or have any questions. Businesses looking for large suppliers of cloth masks can contact Skyrocket/BiG Fab Labs at 419-466-0668 or kevin@skyrocketbox.com.
- EMA and public health have been working with areas of concern and identified “hotspots” in the county to ensure their PPE supply is adequate to meet the needs of the situation. We continue to accept, inventory, and fulfill PPE resource requests.
- Ohio Emergency PPE Maker’s Exchange is an available online resource to share and purchase personal protective equipment created through the ingenuity of Ohio manufacturers who have answered the call to help. https://repurposingproject.sharetribe.com/
Public Health:
· There are 17962 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Ohio. There are 174 cases (total confirmed plus probable) presently in Wood County, 52 of those hospitalized, 118 in long term care, and 23 deaths.
· Health department staff are answering calls regarding testing, essential business concerns, employee safety, the stay-at-home order and many other questions.
· Case follow-up and close contact tracing is being coordinated by a team of employees.
· Wood County residents who feel they may have coronavirus are encouraged to complete a survey that will help local public health better track the illness. Wood County residents are asked to report coronavirus symptoms at https://tinyurl.com/WoodCountyCOVID19.
Healthcare:
· For formal resource requests, please contact us at: woodcountyema@co.wood.oh.us.
Law Enforcement/Fire/EMS:
- LE: Grant funding available. Ocjs.ohio.gov for more information
· Many PPE requests have been submitted and addressed. If you have a need, please put in a formal request in writing to: woodcountyema@co.wood.oh.us.
· Wood County Health Department is implementing a new procedure for testing symptomatic first responders or their immediate household family members through UTMC. Requests for testing must be sent by the Chief to FRCovid19@co.wood.oh.us
· For the past 15 months, the Wood County First Responder Support Team has been reaching out to those who need help dealing with the stress, whether it’s directly related to incidents on the job or life issues with family, marriage, kids. The support team offers first responders a chance to talk one on one, with full confidentiality, to a peer – someone who knows the drill. These volunteers have been trained through the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police.
Wood County Commissioners:
· All people entering the Courthouse Complex and all Wood County Buildings are required to wear a mask, scarf, or other covering on their face prior to entering. Additionally, all visitors will have their temperature taken and be asked several health questions before being permitted to proceed. If they have a fever greater than 100 degrees, they must wait while a representative of the office they wish to visit is contacted.. To obtain phone numbers to County offices and departments, please access the County website: www.co. wood.oh.us To obtain information by phone, please call (419)354-9000 or 1-866-860-4140 (toll free).
Wood County Clerk of Courts:
· Starting Monday, the public will be able to schedule an appointment with the Wood County Clerk of Courts, Auto Title Office to allow them to process personal vehicle titling matters. Cindy Hofner, clerk of courts, issued the press release on Wednesday. Hofner is revising the office hours on a temporary basis from to 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Call the title office at 419-354-9182 to schedule an appointment. Masks and social distancing requirements will be enforced. People who are not feeling well, should stay home. No one will be allowed into the title office without a previously scheduled appointment.
Wood County Landfill:
· The Public Drop-off area of the Wood County Landfill will reopen today Friday, May 1, 2020. This area has been closed since the Governor issued the Shelter-in-Place Order. All people coming to do business at the Landfill are required to wear a mask, scarf, or covering on their face while at the payment wi ndow. Please be prepared with your own mask
BGSU:
· Publishing a situation report twice/week.
· BGSU is planning to reduce the domestic, non-resident surcharge to $1 per credit hour for out-of-state students who have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Ohio from an Ohio institution and who enroll in a degree-seeking graduate program for the 2020-2021 academic school year, starting with fall 2020.
| · BGSU Athletics is partnering with Campus Pollyeyes, Sam B’s, and Jimmy John’s to feed local hospital, nursing home, law enforcement, and grocery store workers on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19. Please click the link below to provide a free meal for these hometown heroes. For every meal purchased you will receive a FREE ticket to BGSU Football’s 2020 home opener on Saturday, September 12. You can be a part of the fight and help make a difference! |
Local:
- The Bowling Green Farmers Market will open for the season on May 13. Hours are 4-7 p.m. It is located downtown in the Huntington Bank parking lot in the 200 block of South Main Street. The farmers market will be dedicating the first hour weekly from 4-5 p.m. for vulnerable shoppers. Vulnerable shoppers include the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. The Ohio Department of Agriculture has released the stipulations for the 2020 season of the farmers markets, according to the Bowling Green group’s Facebook page.
· COVID testing will occur at Bowling Green State University at the Perry Field House located at 801 N Mercer Rd. Testing will be held Wednesday, May 6, and Thursday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ohioans can register at: http://krogerhealth.com/covidtesting. People needing a test will use a virtual screening tool based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to see if they are eligible. Those who are eligible for the testing include CDC Priority 1, 2 and 3. Criteria for testing include persons with COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) who: are healthcare workers, are first responders (EMS, fire, law enforcement), are 65 years of age or older, are critical infrastructure workers with symptoms, have a chronic health condition (heart disease, lung disease or an immune-system-lowering condition, such as diabetes) Experience mild symptoms and live in communities with high numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations Those eligible will next select the appropriate testing location and appointment time. Then, registrants will receive an email confirmation with pre-appointment paperwork. When the patient arrives for a test, they should have a photo ID ready and leave their windows rolled up for check-in. A healthcare practitioner will approach the car and alert the patient when to roll down their window. The drive-thru testing location has a self-administered nasal swab that must be ordered and observed by a provider. Kroger determined this testing methodology is beneficial as it increases the number of tests that can be provided while conserving the personal protective equipment utilized. Test results are expected within approximately 48 hours. The Columbus testing site will handle approximately 330 tests per day
- BG Municipal Court- Friday, May 1, all people entering the Bowling Green Municipal Court facility will be required to wear a face mask, scarf, shield or other face covering. Six-feet social distancing will be maintained. The court will not provide face masks or have them available for the general public. Visitors will have their temperatures taken and be asked basic health questions. Visitors with temperatures of 100 degrees or higher, or who have been exposed to COVID-19 will be denied entry.
- Staff from Eastwood and Lake school districts are planning parades next week. Lake’s parade will be Wednesday from 6:30-8 p.m. on the campus, off Ohio 795, in Millbury. The parade will celebrate staff. To participate, enter the campus from the high school driveway and follow the marked route, which will exit from the elementary lot. Eastwood will hold a staff appreciation parade on Wednesday from 6:30-7 p.m. on campus. Cars will enter the campus via the Bus loop in front of Eastwood Elementary on Sugar Ridge Road and wind through and exit out on Luckey Road by the high school. Students are invited to wave and say hello to a favorite teacher or bus driver.
· In conjunction with the new Wood County Senior Center construction, South Grove Street will be closed to traffic from West Wooster Street to Clough Street. The closure will occur from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, reopening each night. The closure is required to perform sanitary and storm sewer connections
· United Way of Greater Toledo is providing safe and socially distant volunteer opportunities, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to drastically impact health and human services across Lucas, Wood and Ottawa counties. For individuals who would like to volunteer, visit www.211nwo.org. There, you will see two content rows, one noting “Volunteer Opportunities” and the other “Agencies in Need of Volunteers.” By clicking on “Volunteer Opportunities,” you will be able to add your contact information to a volunteer email list, which allows you to hear about new or updated volunteer happenings first. You can view and sign up for open opportunities today when selecting “sign up to volunteer now.”
