The Public Health Advisory Alert System is a color-coded system designed to supplement existing statewide orders through a data-driven framework to assess the degree of the virus’ spread and to engage and empower individuals, businesses, communities, local governments, and others in their response and actions.
The system consists of four levels that provide Ohioans with guidance as to the severity of the problem in the counties in which they live. The levels are determined by seven data indicators that identify the risk level for each county and a corresponding color code to represent that risk level.
The Order has not been released as of press time but here is what we can report
UPDATE:
Read the Health Order
Loveland, Ohio – Beginning tomorrow at 6 PM all of Hamilton County which includes parts of Loveland will be under an order of the Ohio Department of Health that mandates the wearing of face coverings in public.
Loveland is in three counties. The Little Miami River is the dividing line between Hamilton County and Clermont County, A smaller part of Loveland is in Warren county. Hamilton County is in the RED in Ohio’s Public Health Emergency Alert system. Clermont and Warren are currently ORANGE.
Currently, there are 37 persons diagnosed with COVOD 19 in the 45140 ZIP Code area of Hamilton County.
Governor Mike DeWine made the announcement today that covers all counties that are designated Red Level 3 Ohio’s Public Health Emergency Alert.
Currently, Ohio has seven counties that have triggered a Red Level 3 Public Health Emergency Alert: Butler, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Huron, Montgomery, and Trumbull.
Those in counties designated as Red Alert Level 3 or Purple Alert Level 4 are required to wear a face covering:
- In any indoor location that is not a residence;
- When outdoors and unable to consistently maintain a distance of six feet or more from individuals who are not members of their household; or
- While waiting for, riding, driving, or operating public transportation, a taxi, a private car service, or a ride-sharing vehicle.
The order does not apply to children under the age of 10 or any other minor who cannot safely wear a face covering. The order also reflects the mask guidance in place for employees and businesses which does not require a person to wear a mask if their physician advises against it, if wearing a mask is prohibited by federal regulation, if communicating with the hearing impaired, when alone in an office or personal workspace, and other similar measures.
Schools that offer Kindergarten through Grade 12 instruction should follow the guidelines set forth last week by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Health.
The Ohio Department of Health will update county rankings every Thursday. Any county that increases to Red Alert Level 3 will automatically be included in the face-covering mandate. Any county that decreases from Red Alert Level 3 to Orange Alert Level 2 will automatically be released from the face-covering requirement.
Also, Dewine tweeted today, “As the #COVID19 pandemic has progressed more younger Ohioans are being diagnosed with #COVID19. We are seeing young people who are getting very sick. There is also the concern that they are passing it on to those who are at risk.” He released this graphic to emphasize that point.
More than 6,100 new Ohio COVID-19 cases in July so far
Jake Zuckerman at The Ohio Capital Journal
July is off to a poor start in Ohio, as measured by the more than 6,100 Ohioans diagnosed with COVID-19 since the month began.
State data released Monday shows 805 new coronavirus cases in Ohio with varying illness onset dates, which marks the end of a 20-day streak in which the average new reported caseload has increased.
All told, nearly 58,000 Ohioans have contracted COVID-19, at least 2,927 of whom have died. At least 8,249 Ohioans have been hospitalized.
Graph: Jake Zuckerman, data from the Ohio Department of Health
Ohio’s increased caseload reflects a trend of contagion growth occurring in 39 U.S. states, according to a New York Times tracker.
However, Ohio’s epidemic curve depicts slower growth than case explosions seen in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, Nevada, California, South Carolina, and Florida.
The new caseload in Ohio is trending more heavily toward young people. In May, people under 40 comprised about 41% of the new caseload, per an analysis of state data. In June, that figure hit 54%, though more June cases are likely to be reported through the month.
On Thursday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced a new county-by-county measurement system based on seven metrics like hospitalizations and cases per capita. Under the new criteria, seven counties in Ohio are at alert level three, the second-highest category.
They include Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Montgomery, Butler, Trumbull and Huron counties. He said he plans to update the risk level estimations weekly.
DeWine indicated Franklin County is on special watch and could escalate to top tier risk precautions, though he didn’t specify what that would entail in terms of social distancing regulations.
