Loveland, Ohio – According to a newsletter issued by the Loveland City School District on Thursday, December 16, a new mask policy will go into effect beginning Tuesday, January 18, 2022. In the newsletter, Superintendent Mike Broadwater said, “Masks will be strongly recommended for our staff and students, but they will be optional for staff and all students in grades K-12. We are waiting for two weeks after our return from Winter Break to allow for any illness to run its course after people are together with family and friends for the holidays.”

The current policy requires masks for students PK-6 but allows students in grades 7-12 to be mask optional. Broadwater further explained by saying, “When we set that policy back in August, we drew the line at grade 7 because vaccinations were only available for students 12 and older. With COVID vaccines now available for any student 5 and older, it makes sense to align our policy to reflect that.”

The federal requirement to wear masks on buses will continue through at least March 18, 2022, according to the newsletter.

“We are still more than a month away from the date this change goes into effect, so if you’re considering vaccinations, now is the time to have a conversation with a trusted medical professional and make the decision for your students,” said Broadwater.

See all of the District COVID 19 Reports

“Important Hospital Update”

The day after the Superintendent’s announcement, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital issued what they headlined an “Important Hospital Update” on December 17 at 7:19 PM that said:

Cincinnati Children’s is currently incredibly full. This high number of patients, along with increased illness in our community means that our system is under stress. Our Emergency Departments and Urgent Cares are very busy, and wait times are long. We know these wait times are inconvenient and we assure you, our teams are working hard to see every patient who needs care, as quickly as possible. Please do not hesitate to come if you need emergency care.

If you are unsure if your child needs to be seen in the Emergency Department or Urgent Care, please start with a call to your primary care provider to ask for advice. You can also visit our 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care to see a pediatric provider. Install the App now so you are ready if you need it: https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/…/cincykids-health…

While the hospital is so full, providers may be reaching out to reschedule planned admissions or procedures. If you have an upcoming admission or surgical procedure and have questions about how your family may be impacted, you can contact your provider at any time to discuss. We also need your help. Please be safe – wash hands often, avoid large gatherings, wear masks in public settings and get vaccinated for both COVID and Flu.

We thank you for trusting your child’s care to Cincinnati Children’s and we thank you in advance for your grace and patience during this busy time.

If you have questions regarding coronavirus/COVID-19, call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

All Ohioans 5 and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Schedule your vaccination today at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. You can also chat with our Virtual Assistant for any COVID-19 vaccine, registration, and scheduling questions.

Ohio National Guard Mobilized, Hospital Staff Needed

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today (December 17, 2021) provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

OHIO NATIONAL GUARD MOBILIZED

Governor DeWine mobilized 1,050 members of the Ohio National Guard to help relieve the hospital staffing strain caused by the rising number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is causing. Of the total mobilized guard members, approximately 150 are highly-trained medical professionals and will deploy to help meet critical needs at hospitals and testing locations.  The remaining 900 guard members will help with patient transport, housekeeping, and food services. Guard members will be brought on duty beginning on Monday.

STAFFING AGREEMENT

The Ohio Department of Health is working with an Ohio health care staffing company to help meet hospital staffing needs. This agreement will allow for Ohio hospitals to bring in qualified nurses and other providers from out-of-state to fill needed positions to help ease some of the current added pressure on hospitals and staff.

HOSPITALIZATION DATA

More than 4,700 people arecurrently hospitalized in Ohio fighting COVID-19, that equates to one in every 5 hospital patients. This is the highest number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 this year, and the number of hospitalized patients is rapidly approaching an all-time high.

Due to the increase in COVID-19 hospital admisions many hospitals have been forced to postpone elective surgeries, transfer patients to other hospitals, impose visitation standards, and/or implement what they call “crisis standards of care,” in which they have no choice but to take extraordinary steps to care for patients in ways that aren’t typical, such as providing intensive care in emergency rooms or in post-surgical units.

In Northern Ohio (Ohio Hospital Zone 1) most hospitals have suspended elective surgeries. In Central and Southeast Ohio (Ohio Hospital Zone 2), the same thing is beginning to happen. In SoutheastOhio, (Ohio Hospital Zone 3), hospital leaders are preparing to take similar action.

The best way to relieve the strain on our health care providers is to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations to prevent serious illness and hospitalizations.  To find a vaccination provider near you, visit http://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.

CASE DATA/VACCINE INFORMATION

In-depth COVID-19 data for Ohio: coronavirus.ohio.gov. 

Ohio’s central scheduling system: gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov

All vaccine providers: vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov

More vaccine information: coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine

Video of today’s full update, including versions with foreign language translation, can be viewed on the Ohio Channel’s YouTube page. 

For more information on Ohio’s response to COVID-19, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.