By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County’s commitment to stay-at-home orders seems to be working.
“For all of us, it feels like we’ve been isolated and quarantined for quite some time,” Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Batey said this morning during the weekly conference call for elected officials throughout the county.
“In Wood County, I think the things we are doing with social distancing and having places closed have helped,” Batey said. “We fully believe these things we are doing are absolutely working.”
But now is not the time for residents to let down their guard, he said.
As of this morning, the county had 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19. But Batey added a warning.
“Don’t let that number fool you,” he said. The health department is working with many more presumptive COVID-19 cases, in which the people are symptomatic but have not been tested.
As of Monday, Wood County had 14 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19. Of those, seven were hospitalized. None were in Wood County Hospital. The others were staying isolated in their homes.
The tests are not readily available in Wood County, so local officials predict there are many more people here with the virus.
“We haven’t really seen our surge yet,” Batey said this morning.
Meanwhile, Wood County Hospital is preparing for that surge, and is working on increasing capacity for patients.
At the same time, the crisis over limited personal protective equipment – like masks, gloves and gowns – may be close to being resolved. While it’s still important for medical staffs and first responders to conserve their PPE stocks, the FDA has approved Ohio’s request to allow a process that could sanitize about 150,000 masks a day.
“All the hospitals are going to be able to ship their masks down and get them back in a very timely process,” Batey said.
That process is expected to begin very soon.
“The more time we buy ourselves,” the more Ohio can benefit from technological advances such as this, Batey said.
Wood County Administrator Andrew Kalmar reported to officials on the conference call that the county commissioners passed an emergency declaration on Tuesday morning.
“We don’t want anyone to be alarmed by that,” he said, explaining that the declaration will allow the county to better access state and federal resources.
The Wood County Emergency Management Agency is continuing to accept donations of PPEs from local residents, businesses or organizations. If items are dropped off at the courthouse complex, court security will deliver them to the EMA office. From there, they will be distributed to those first responders most in need in the county, according to Wood County EMA Director Jeff Klein.
In addition to N-95 surgical masks, gloves and gowns, the EMA office is also in search of thermometers and air purifying masks – which have been difficult to locate.
“We would appreciate that,” Klein said.
Also on the conference call, Wood County Commissioner Ted Bowlus talked about the need for people to continue being “hand nazis,” stop touching their faces, and maintain at least six feet social distancing between others.
“As time goes by, that might be a problem,” as people let down their guard, Bowlus said.
State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, talked about the “blessing of the badges” held Tuesday morning at All Saints Church in Rossford. The service recognized the perilous work of first responders right now.
Ghanbari also recognized the heroic efforts of truck drivers, shelf-stockers, nurses and doctors during the pandemic.
He stressed the need for people to get accurate information on the COVID-19 pandemic and government responses. He suggested coronavirus.ohio.gov or the Ohio Department of Health call center at 833-427-5634.
Also during the conference call, State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, talked about some highlights of H.B. 197, passed unanimously by both chambers. The legislation prohibits water disconnects during the pandemic, prevents officers from ticketing someone whose driver’s license has expired during the crisis, establishes requirements for electronic open meetings, waives some previous requirements for unemployment benefits, delays the tax filing deadline to July 15, and establishes a new primary election process with absentee voting allowed till April 28.
