Case Count: As of 1:30pm on Oct. 08, 475 cumulative cases of COVID-19 have been reported to the Union County Health Department. Since last Thursday’s update (Oct. 01), 33 new cases have been reported (by report date). 1 new COVID-19 hospitalizations have also been reported since last Thursday’s update. Two COVID-19 related deaths have been reported among Union County residents to date. Currently, 44 Union County residents are actively ill and in isolation. 429 individuals have been released from isolation and no longer considered infectious. These numbers exclude cases among persons incarcerated at the state prison in Marysville.
Long-Term Care Facilities: The Ohio Department of Health continues to report three cumulative cases of COVID-19 among residents of Union County long-term care facilities. No new cases among residents of long-term care facilities in Union County have been reported since the end of July.
Ohio Reformatory for Women: According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, 25 cumulative cases of COVID-19 have been reported among staff at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. 39 inmates are currently positive for COVID-19 and in isolation. 92 current inmates have recovered from a COVID-19 infection.
School Reporting: As of the most recent report date (Oct. 04), Union County public and private schools are reporting 28 cumulative cases among students and staff since Sept. 07.
Fairbanks – 5 cumulative cases (2 cases reported during the previous week) among students/staff
Marysville – 23 cumulative cases (0 cases reported during the previous week) among students/staff
North Union – 0 cumulative cases among students/staff
St. John’s Lutheran School – 0 cumulative cases among students/staff
Trinity – 0 cumulative cases among students/staff
We want to express our sincere appreciation to each of our schools for the strong partnership. The schools continued efforts to support contact tracing efforts and safety protocols is truly making a difference to keep Union County students in classrooms. There are no easy decisions or choices during this pandemic. The continued diligence and thoughtful approach of our superintendents, boards of education, and administrators is greatly valued.
Union County Remains Orange: Union County remained at a Level 2 alert on the Ohio Public Health Alert System. An orange alert indicates we have met 2-3 of the 7 warning indicators and are seeing some increased levels of disease activity. Currently, Union County is meeting:
Indicator 1: New cases per capita – Union County is at 79.68 new cases per capita over the previous 14 days. This indicator was triggered because we continue to exceed the 50 new cases per 100,000 people threshold established by the CDC for moderately high levels of disease activity.
Indicator 3: Cases in non-congregate settings – During at least one of the previous three weeks, more than 50% of new cases reported were within the community rather than a long-term care or prison. This indicates cases are occurring in the community at-large.
Indicator 5: Outpatient visits – We have seen a steady increase in people going to a healthcare provider for COVID-19 symptoms who then had a confirmed or clinically suspected COVID-19 infection, increasing from an average of 220.71 visits on Sept. 27 to 265.71 visits on Oct. 05.
You can view the weekly state profile for Union County at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/public-health-advisory-system/.
Drive Thru Flu Clinic: This year it is more important than ever to get your flu shot. The Union County Health Department is offering a drive thru flu clinic on Friday, Oct. 16 from Noon to 5:30pm at the Union County Fairgrounds. The drive thru clinic is open to any person age 6 months an older. Shots are by appointment. Book your appointment and complete your registration form online at https://uchdflu.wpengine.com/. Most insurances accepted and cover the cost of flu vaccination. For self-pay, regular flu shots are $25. High dose flu shots are recommended and available for adults age 65 and older. Cost for self-pay high dose is $50. Egg-free vaccine is also available for individuals age 4 years and older and cost is $50. No nasal spray vaccine is available.
Halloween Safety Guidance: The Ohio Department of Health has issued guidance for families and businesses concerning Halloween and fall festivities. The guidance can be found at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/responsible/celebrating-halloween.pdf. For businesses and venues providing fall activities like pumpkin patches, apple picking, etc. – the operator of the business or venue should incorporate safety protocols for retail and consumer establishments such as social distancing, mask wearing, regular cleaning and hand washing, and limiting congregating as much as possible. As always, the decision to partake in trick-or-treat or other fall festivities may be different for each family. Each family should weigh the risks that are acceptable to their family before participating in festivities.
Ohio Travel Advisory Map: Ohio updated its domestic travel advisory alert map this week. The map indicates states with a recent COVID-19 positivity rate of 15% or greater. This week’s travel alert map includes seven states: Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The advisory map can be found at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/families-and-individuals/COVID-19-Travel-Advisory/COVID-19-Travel-Advisory.
Visiting at Nursing Homes: Indoor visitation at nursing homes in Ohio can resume Oct. 12. Each facility will have the discretion to allow indoor visitation based upon the COVID-19 situation in their community and their facility and the ability to implement proper safety protocols.