Precautions urged ahead of labor Day ODH director advises staying outdoors for activities over holidays if possible.
Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff urged Ohioans to follow COVID19 health precautions ahead of the Labor Day holiday to avoid a further surge as cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in the state.
“Help us prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses this holiday by making choices that protect you and the people around you,” Vanderhoff said.
For those planning to celebrate over the holiday, he advised staying outdoors if possible.
“Outside is always safer than inside when it comes to
respiratory viruses,” Vanderhoff said. “Nevertheless, we still have to be mindful when we’re outside with other people about how close we are to each other.”
If people can stay about a couple arm lengths away, they should be safe. However, if that isn’t possible, or if inside, people should put on a mask. Even people who are fully-vaccinated have been advised to consider face masking.
“While the risk for the vaccinated is dramatically less, our vaccinated folks still need to be thinking about that mask issue as well,” he said. “Because we as the vaccinated, we could still get the virus and share the virus, maybe without knowing it, if we’re in a crowded situation.”
Since mid-July, the delta variant has driven a spike in cases and hospitalizations throughout the state and country. More than 2,500 people in the state were hospitalized and 756 were in ICUs with COVID-19, Ohio Department of Health reported.
On We d n e s d a y, the Ohio Hospital Association reported that one in eight patients in Ohio’s hospitals and one out of five patients in ICUs have COVID-19. Last Friday, it was one in 10 people hospitalized and one in six in the ICUs had COVID, he added. The majority of those hospitalized with COVID19 are not fully vaccinated.
This wave is having a very serious impact on Ohio hospitals, Vanderhoff said.
“We’re having people of all ages in our hospital beds, of all ages in our ICUs, and sadly of all ages dying. And we can prevent that and we can protect ourselves from that by vaccination,” he said.
About 52% of Ohioans have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, includ- ing just under 61% of the eli- gible population 12 years and older.
The daily number of Ohioans starting vaccinations increased in August. In July, around 190,000 Ohioans
received an initial dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, per state data.
In August, so far more than 294,000 Ohioans have reported getting an initial dose and the final count for the month is still being tallied.
Universal masking at schools recommended by hospital
Dayton Children’s Hospital is recommending universal masking at schools to keep students in the classroom.
Positive COVID-19 test rates in children over the last two weeks have increased by 160% at Dayton Children’s, the hospital announced Wednesday night.
Students who wear a mask in the classroom can stay in
school, even when a class- mate comes down with an illness. They would not have to quarantine by staying at home for 14 days.
“In-person, full-time learning is the best option for our children,” said Deborah Feldman, president and CEO of Dayton Children’s.
The pediatric hospital operates a drive-thru testing site and this week where cars could be seen wrapped around the parking lot waiting.
The hospital recommends those 12 and older get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The hospital also advised that masks are most effective when they cover both the nose and mouth; fit snugly but comfortably; have multiple layers of fabric; allow for unrestricted breathing; and are washed and dried carefully after use.
Third doses start
Local hospitals are giving out third doses of vaccinations to people with weakened immune systems, who are now eligible for a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine a few weeks after their second dose.
Health officials advise that immunocompromised individuals should schedule a third dose now. Those not immunocompromised should wait for further instructions from the CDC and other health authorities.
Those with conditions that weaken their immune systems or who are receiving treatments that suppress immunity make up about 3% of the adult population. They are especially at risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19.
Wright-Patt steps up health measures
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base had moved to health protection condition “Charlie” Wednesday, a stifferregimen of requirements against COVID-19, a virus whose delta variant is raising case numbers and hospitalizations.
The status is in effect for the next 30 days and caps the physical presence of workers at 25% or less of the base’s pre-pandemic working population — no more than about 7,500 or fewer employees on base. Pre-pandemic, about 30,000 people worked on base every day.
“I will tell you this was not an easy decision for me,” Col. Patrick Miller, base installation commander, had said Wednesday.