Richland County Goes to Orange in Advisory System
Richland County, OH –After being at Level 3/Red in the Ohio Public Health Advisory System (OPHAS) since December 24, 2020, Richland Countyhasmoved back to Level 2/Orange as of May 20, 2021. At this level, residents are advised to exercise a high degree of caution and to follow all existing health orders to help slow the spread of the virus. The last time Richland County was Level 2/Orange was September 24, 2020.
Richland County achieved the lower Advisory Level by meeting only two of the seven indicators: Cases per Capita (78.41cases per 100,000 over the last two weeks) and Non-Congregate Cases (60%). Indicators not met were New Cases (5.43 per day), Outpatient Visits (2.29 per day), Emergency Visits (1.14 per day), Hospital Admissions (0.43 seven day average), and ICU Bed Occupancy (6.50% of ICU beds). All those indicators were trending downward.
Richland County joins 58 other counties in Ohio that are now Level 2/Orange. Fourteen (14) counties now have Level 1/Yellow status. Sixteen (16) counties were still at Level 3/Red.
Richland County residents should follow therecommended guidelinesto reduce the spread of the pandemic (health orders expire June 2, including: masks, social distancing, and attendance limits):
- Get your COVID-19 vaccine. All ages 12 and up are eligible for the Pfizer vaccines and ages 18 and older for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
- To find a vaccine provider, go torichlandhealth.org/vaccine-registration.
- Wear a face covering (cloth mask) if you must be out in the public.
- Must wear a face covering (cloth mask) when entering a retail business.
- Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from non-household members.
- Follow good hygiene standards, including:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use hand sanitizer frequently.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Cover coughs or sneezes (e.g., into a tissue, or elbow).
- Symptom self-evaluation monitoring.
- Decrease in-person interactions with others.
- Limit attending gatherings of 10 or more people.
- Conduct a daily health/symptom self-evaluation and stay at home if symptomatic.
- Seek medical care as needed.
For moreinformationabout the coronavirus situation in Richland County visitrichlandhealth.organd follow the coronavirus links in the sliders, including how to register to get the COVID-19 vaccine. For the latest case numbers seerichlandhealth.org/coronavirus-data
For more information about the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, visitcoronavirus.ohio.gov
If you have questions, call the Ohio Department of Health COVID-19 Call Line 1-833-427-5634. The call line is open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. each day, including weekends.