COLUMBUS – Franklin County on Thursday became the first Ohio county to be elevated to Level 4 on the state’s Public Health Advisory System denoting “severe exposure and spread” of COVID-19.
The change comes a day before residents go under a 28-day stay-at-home advisory.
Franklin County meets six of the seven criteria set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention needed to be classified as “high incidence” for two consecutive weeks, including the number of cases per capita, the number of new cases and the increase in cases, Gov. Mike DeWine said during his regular coronavirus briefing.
“The situation in Franklin County is dire,” Franklin County and Columbus health commissioners Joe Mazzola and Dr. Mysheika Roberts said in a joint statement. “Stay home as much as possible. That is where you are safest and it is the number one way we can slow the rapid spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
The number of new cases in the county increased by over 10,000 between Nov. 3 and Wednesday, according to the state health department’s data. There have been 48,258 cases of the virus in the county since the onset of the pandemic, according to Franklin County Public Health.
Beginning at 6:00 p.m. Friday, residents are advised to only leave home to go to work or school or for essential needs such as medical care, groceries, medicine and food pick up. They should not to have any guests in their homes unless they are essential workers, including for the Thanksgiving holiday, the advisory states.
Residents of the city and county are urged to limit meetings and social events to 10 individuals both indoors and outside, and to avoid traveling in and out of the state.
Schools are encouraged to cancel extracurricular activities and businesses are being asked to allow employees to work from home whenever possible.
The advisory will remain in place for two consecutive incubation periods of COVID-19, or 28 days, or until both health departments determine a change to the guidance is appropriate and complements a statewide 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. three-week curfew announced by Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday, Roberts said.
Columbus Metropolitan Library will return to curbside and walk-up services only starting Saturday in response to the joint health advisory.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association is moving the state football championship games to Massillon since the advisory prevents games from being played at Fortress Obetz.
The state reported 7,787 new confirmed and probable cases of the virus Thursday for a total of 318,828 cases but DeWine says the results of approximately 12,000 antigen tests, which measure whether a patient has ever contracted COVID-19, have not been confirmed due to the high number of tests received by the state this week.
“Thousands of reports are pending review,” read a message on the Ohio Department of Health coronavirus dashboard.
DeWine was unsuccessful in convincing lawmakers to not pass legislation that would limit the powers of his administration and health officials as the virus’ spread across Ohio reached new peaks.
The governor promised to veto the bill, saying he has a “moral obligation” to do so.
“This bill is a disaster,” he said, claiming that it would handcuff future governors and health directors faced with disease outbreaks or other emergencies that require immediate action, such as evacuations or travel bans.
The House would need 60 votes to override a governor’s veto.
Franklin County Democratic lawmakers issued a joint statement blasting the Senate approval.
“This bill is opposed by medical experts throughout this state and those are the voices lawmakers should be listening to on this issue. This is not about checks and balances. This bill, plain and simple, makes Ohioans less safe,” read the statement from Assistant Minority Leader Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus), Assistant Minority Whip Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester) and Reps. David Leland, Adam Miller and Erica Crawley of Columbus, Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), Dr. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) and Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington).
House Republicans Thursday also voted down a resolution that would require them to wear masks inside the Ohio Statehouse.