COLUMBUS – As Ohio experiences record-setting hospitalizations amid the spread of the delta and omicron variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, schools, hospitals, even Broadway classics, are trying to adjust to the demands of the new surge.
The union representing teachers in the Columbus City Schools is reportedly calling on the district to transition to remote learning for two weeks.
A number of central Ohio school districts have reinstated requirements for face coverings or have canceled classes due to illness among staff.
Tuesday night’s performance of Cats at the Ohio Theatre was been postponed due to a high number of COVID-19 cases among the cast and crew. At this time, the curtain will go up on the remaining performances as scheduled, according to officials with the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts.
The Ohio Department of Health reports that the omicron variant accounted for 74.2% of the cases in Ohio during the last two weeks of 2021.
Testing sites expanded
Over 2,000 members of the Ohio National Guard are now supporting 12 testing locations across the state as part of efforts to ease some of the burden on the state’s hardest-hit hospitals.
The total deployment of National Guard members working with Ohio’s healthcare systems is now at 2,300 members, including 200 troops offering medical support, and approximately 2,100 offering general support, such as testing, food services, in-hospital patient transportation, administrative tasks, and more, according to Gov. Mike DeWine’s office.
The testing locations are helping to divert testing traffic from hospital emergency rooms, DeWine said.
There are currently testing locations in Columbus, Zanesville and Chillicothe, as well as seven other cities. Three of the locations are in Cincinnati and a 13th location is planned for Dayton Children’s Hospital.
The Columbus location, operated by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, is on the first floor of the CAS parking garage at 2540 Olentangy River Road.
The Ohio Hospital Association reports that a record 6,727 patients in hospitals statewide on Tuesday were being treated for COVID0-19.
There were 19,611 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, the highest number of cases in a single day since Jan. 5, according to the health department.