Update: The Ohio Department of Health and the governor's office have extended the Stay at Home Order and Essential Business Order through May 1st, per Thursday, April 2nd's update from the statehouse.
There are a few changes to the guidelines in the order. You can visit the state's coronavirus website for more informaiton.
Governor Mike DeWine announced that Dr. Amy Acton will be signing a Stay at Home Order for the State of Ohio in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The order will go into effect Monday, March 22nd at 11:59pm and stay in effect until April 6th.
The order can be enforcted by local health departments and local law enforcement, although the Governor stressed that the goal is not to see a bunch of people arrested.
Ohioans will be allowed to leave their house for, as the Governor describes, "common sense" reasons. These include leaving for health and saftey, necessary supplies and services, outdoor activities, to take care of others, and more. For the full list, and other information regarding the order and the latest on COVID-19 coronavirus in Ohio, click here.
Kent State University announced Friday that their Spring Commencement ceremonies and pre commencement celebrations will be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The University said in a statment that they are exploring alternate options and dates.
An update will be provided by the school at a later date as they gather more information on the matter.
For more updates on this situation, visit https://www.kent.edu/
As of the latest update from the Ohio Department of Health and Governor Mike DeWine's office, there are 30,167 total cases of coronavirus in the state; an increase of more than 700 cases from Wednesday's report.
The total number of deaths related to COVID-19 is now 1,836; 55 more than the previous report.
Summit County Public Health's dashboard is showing 1,165 total cases, an increase of 48 from the previous day's report, and now 144 deaths. The total number of cases in Cuyahoga County is now 3,667 and 202 fatalities, according to the ODH.
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Governor Mike DeWine has laid out the process of reopening the state, noting that testing and tracing the pandemic were the key elements to getting us to the point of being able to reopen at all.
By the end of May, DeWine says we will be at 22,000 daily tests.
As far as tracing coronavirus, the governor's office has created a workforce plan to gather volunteers and other workers to help in those efforts over a long period of time. That plan is laid out in three tiers that can be seen at the state's website here.
When it comes to reopening Ohio, the governor has given three dates in May to begin this process. Starting May 1st, DeWine says all health procedures and operations that do not require an overnight stay in the hosptial can move forward, including dental services.
Under the new order, starting May 4th, general offices and manufacturing, distribution and construction companies will be allowed to restart business if they had been closed under the original order back in March. Guidelines regarding this "responsible restart" can be found here.
Beginning May 12th retail, service, and consumer businesses will be allowed to reopen in Ohio. All employees will be required to wear face masks, and all customers are encouraged to wear masks. DeWine said Monday, "We are not going to mandate that, but when a customer goes into a business they will have to have that face mask because they will be... dealing with the people that are working there."
There are still several businesses that will remain closed into May:
More from the Ohio Department of Health.
As a precaution to protect against the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus, Summa Health has made several changes to their visitors policy.
As of Friday morning, Summa Health has moved to a no visitors policy. Exceptions to this policy will be made for one healthy visitor per patient, per day for the following categories:
Patient who is in serious or critical condition or under hospice care
End-of-life (approval for requests for more than one person will be made by nurse manager)
Patient in the Emergency Department
Mothers in labor (significant other is permitted)
Children who are 18 years of age or under (parents permitted)
People undergoing surgery
Akron Children’s NICU (limited to mom and one additional visitor per day)
Adult patients with cognitive or mental disability requiring help with the provision of medical care or activities of daily living, speaking for the patient, keeping patient safe
People who must exercise of power of attorney or court-appointed guardianship for a patient
People performing official governmental functions
Person requiring an outpatient test or procedure where a companion is required for support
Fore more information, visit the Summa Health wesbite.
This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro-3-20-20 Featured
Written by Jeanne DestroThis week, it's all about tech issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, like why you should be using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), Twitter cracking down on false information, a new financial scam targeting online job seekers, and calls for free broadband service.
UPDATE: The Red Cross Still Facing Critical Blood Shortage
Written by Ryan LangThe American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage due to the unprecidented amount of blood drive cancelations amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
That is why the Red Cross is calling on healthy individuals to donate now, in an effort to help patients who count on those lifesaving blood donations.
There are still a number of blood drives happening around the Greater Akron area this week:
Those are cannot attend one of these events are encouraged to schedule and appointment at a local donation site, including the location at 501 West Market Street in Akron. You can schedule that appointment at RedCrossBlood.org or on the Red Cross Blood Donor App for your smartphone.
Hear from the experts on how the COVID-19 coronavirus courtesy of the Ray Horner Morning Show:
Akron Public Schools Superintendent David James - Returning to school this Fall. (6-4-20)
Val Renner - Akron Civic Theatre - The pandemic's impact on the local music scene. (5-29-20)
Richard Peterson - Capital Financial - Market instability and volatility during the pandemic. (5-29-20)
Jeff WIlhite - Summit County Council - Local nursing home reform group. (5-28-20)
Dr. Cathy Faye - University of Akron Psychologist - Online misinformation groups. (5-28-20)
Donna Skoda - Summit County Public Health Director - Contact tracing and testing for COVID-19. (5-28-20)
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown - Helping workers affected by the pandemic. (5-28-20)
Representative Tavia Galonski - The Workers Protection Act. (5-27-20)
Dr. Toni Cooper - Psychologist - Stress during and after lockdowns. (5-27-20)
Mark Gerberich - CEO International Soap Box Derby - The cancelation of this year's event due to the pandemic. (5-27-20)
Steve McGarrity - Community Legal Aid Services - Evictions during the pandemic. (5-27-20)
Steve Millard - The Greater Akron Chamber - Reopening Akron. (5-27-20)
Dr. Thomas File - Summa Health - Antibodies and vaccines. - (5-27-20)
Ty Higgins - Ohio Farm Bureau - The pandemic's impact on Ohio farmers and the industry as a whole. (5-26-20)
Verrelle Wyatt & Nicole Gareri-David - Akron Marathon/PLX Running Club - Virtual running clubs. (5-26-20)
Pamela Barnes - Cuyahoga Valley National Park - The importance of exercise and park attendance. (5-26-20)
Dr. Mark Cassell - Kent State University - US vs. the World in fighting the pandemic. (5-26-20)
Summit County Public Health Commissioner Donna Skoda - Health regulations for restaurants, the upcoming holiday weekend, and more. (5-21-20)
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan - Working with local restaurants to help make the reopening process as smooth as possible. (5-21-20)
Congressman Tim Ryan - Reopening Ohio and the state of manufacturing in the state. (5-20-20)
Dr. Thomas File - Summa Health Infectious Disease - COVID-19 vaccines and hydroxychloroquine. (5-20-20)
Dr. Brian Harte -Cleveland Clinic Akron General - New COVID-19 testing site coming to downtown Akron. (5-20-20)
Dr. Stacy Willett - University of Akron Professor of Emergency Management and Homeland Security - Sweeping preparedness for all disasters, not just one. (5-19-20)
Dr. Erin Makarius - University of Akron - Working from home. (5-18-20)
Lieutenant Serji Lash - Akron Fire Department - Fire safety amid the pandemic. (5-18-20)
Larry Williams - University of Akron Athletic Director - The announcement that the school is cutting three sports to balance the budget. (5-15-20)
Barberton Mayor Bill Judge - The city's plan to weather the pandemic and beyond. (5-15-20)
Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted - More on the reopening of Ohio businesses, recreation areas, and more. (5-15-20)
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan - An update on what cuts needed to be made to the city's budget due to the pandemic. (5-14-20)
Jerry Craig - ADM Board - Mental Health and Addiction Treatment continuing through the pandemic. (5-14-20)
Lisa Dalpiaz - Akron Canton Airport - Safety measures being taken at the airport. (5-14-20)
John Barker - Ohio Association of Restaurants - What to expect as Ohio restaurants reopen. (5-13-20)
Bill Roemer - State Representative out of Summit County - A look at the current state of Ohio's economy. (5-13-20)
Raven Gayheart - Akron Canton Regional Food Bank - There have been long lines at food banks across the state recently. (5-13-20)
Dr. Tara Smith - Kent State University - The science of a pandemic. (5-13-20)
Dr. Cliff Deveny - President and CEO Summa Health Systems - A word of caution as we start reopening businesses amid the pandemic. (5-13-20)
Marco Sommerville - City of Akron - What to expect for the city and small businesses that are slowly reopening. (5-12-20)
David James - Akron Public Schools Superintendent - Wrapping up the 2019-2020 school year and looking forward to summer, fall sessions. (5-12-20)
Dr. Debbie Plate - Cleveland Clinic Akron General - An update on symptoms of COVID-19. (5-12-20)
Gregg Mervis - Akron/Summit Visitors Convention Bureau - Reopening Akron and what's left as far as summer events in the area. (5-11-20)
Dr. Toni Bisconti - University of Akron - Depression and substance abuse during the pandemic. (5-11-20)
Dr. David Beer - Malone University - President Donald Trump's response to the pandemic and the repeal of Obamacare. (5-11-20)
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan - Reopening Akron the smartest and safest way. (5-8-20)
Patrick DeHaan - GasBuddy.com - Gas prices rising once again. (5-8-20)
Dr. Joseph Lahorra - Cleveland Clinic Akron General - Heart procedures moving forward during the pandemic. (5-8-20)
Dr. Margo Erme - The history of pandemics in the U.S. (5-7-20)
Senator Sherrod Brown - Reopening Ohio and the government stimulus plan. (5-7-20)
Patrick Bravo - President of the Akron School Board - The impact the state cuts will have on APS. (5-7-20)
Dr. Kevin Kern - University of Akron History Professor - The importance of vaccine trials. (5-7-20)
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine - More on the Responsible Restart Ohio plan that's being rolled out across the state. (5-6-20)
Dr. R. Joel Duff - University of Akron - The bioscience of COVID-19. (5-6-20)
Dr. Thomas File - President of the Infectious Disease Society in Ohio - Remdesivir trials showing promise. (5-6-20)
Congressman Tim Ryan - How he's working getting more federal funding funneled to Ohio and the U.S. - China relationship. (5-5-20)
Bruce Alexander - Ohio Board of Education - How the state is handling high school athletics and what to expect this Fall. (5-5-20)
Dr. Debbie Plate - Cleveland Clinic Akron General - Setting appointments and how procedures will continue after reopening. (5-5-20)
David James - Akron Public Schools Superintendent - An update on virtual instruction throughout the district. (5-5-20)
Joe Mazur - The Ohio Valley Scenic Railroad - The cancelation of departures through the Summer and the plan going forward. (5-5-20)
Dr. Lori Varlotta - President Hiram College - The struggle for small colleges. (5-4-20)
Brian Caperones - Guidance Counselor North High School - The Challenges that counselors are dealing with in helping students preparing for college. (5-4-20)
David Bon - Cleveland Clinic Akron General Grief Counselor - Dealing with grief and loss during the pandemic. (5-4-20)
Dr. Donald Dumford - Cleveland Clinic - Akron General - The importance of masks and social distancing. (5-1-20)
Dr. Rob McGregor - Akron Children's Hospital - Changes being made at the hospital during the pandemic. (5-1-20)
Ren Camacho - Akron-Canton Airport - How the airport is adapting amid the pandemic. (5-1-20)
Dr. Toni Bisconti - University of Akron Department of Psychology - Dealing with grief and not being able to see sick family members. (5-1-20)
Ty Higgins - Ohio Farm Bureau - Pandemic stress on the farming industry in Ohio. (5-1-20)
Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan - Some city workers will be back on the job and how the city's doing with the loss of revenue. (4-30-20)
Don Padgett - Executive Director for the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship - Tour dates moved back and the possibility for spectators at the Akron event. (4-30-20)
Scott Callahan - Wadsworth High School teacher - How the approach to teaching our kids has changed due to COVID-19. (4-30-20)
Dana Addis - Superintendent for Norton City Schools - Adaptations in education amid the pandemic. (4-30-20)
More...
In a press release Wednesday, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced that they will be suspending manufacturing in the Americas through at least April 3rd or until further notice.
Acording to the company, a phased shut down will begin across the company’s tire, retread and chemical plants in Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and the United States over the coming days. Its facility in Peru was closed earlier this week. Goodyear joins a long list of companies who have been impacted the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.
In their statement, the company says that these measures will take place due to the sudden decline in market demand.
In following guidence from the Centers For Disease Control (CDC), Goodyear has introduced a number of preventative measures at its facilities, including limiting visitor access and business travel, implementing remote working and social distancing practices and increasing frequency of disinfection.
For more on this situation and the latest on The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, visit https://www.goodyear.com/
Health Officials "Challenge" the Public Amid Pandemic
Written by Ryan Lang(Summit County Public Health) - Challenge Accepted! Social media sites have been used to propose challenges in which young and old alike have participated. Things like the “ice bucket” challenge have been done to raise awareness and funds for ALS research. Things like the “laundry pod” challenge left many scratching their heads and making calls to poison control.
With all K-12 and college students home for at least the next few weeks, we want to encourage kids to use this time to accept positive challenges. Some suggestions for positive and lighthearted challenges include:
100 Squat/push-ups/jumping jacks challenge – work up a sweat!
Yoga challenge – film yourself trying your best warrior or pigeon pose.
Blindfolded make-up challenge – this one could get messy.
Kindness challenge – find ways to be extra kind to your family while you spend extra time together.
Any type of challenge that would have someone touching dirty surfaces is not just gross…they are very unhealthy. (Think of a certain professional basketball player who thought licking microphones was a good idea. That didn’t work out too well for him…or the NBA.)
We need to take our health seriously and focus on keeping ourselves and those closest to us free of sickness as much as we can.
Please remember these simple steps you can take to reduce the spread of viruses:
Wash your hands often with soap & water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol based hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands)
Avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes.
Clean high touch surfaces frequently – phones, doorknobs, light switches, cell phones, etc.
If you have any signs of sickness, stay home!
General public questions can be answered by calling:
SCPH call center Sat/Sun 9a-3p and M-F 9a-5p - 330-926-5795
OHD call center 7 days 9a-8p - 1-833-4-ASK-ODH
The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage due to the unprecidented amount of blood drive cancelations amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
That is why the Red Cross is calling on healthy individuals to donate now, in an effort to help patients who count on those lifesaving blood donations.
There are still a number of blood drives happening around the Greater Akron area this week:
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Mayfield Village Civic Center, 6622 Wilson Mills Road, Mayfield Village, 2-6:30 p.m.
American Red Cross Summit County Chapter, 501 W. Market St., Akron, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Knights of Columbus Sandusky, Holy Angels Catholic Church, 428 Tiffin Ave., Sandusky, 1-5:30 p.m.
American Red Cross Wayne County Chapter, 244 W. South St., Wooster, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ashtabula Towne Square, 3315 N. Ridge Road E., Ashtabula, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Cuyahoga County Library, Strongsville Branch, 18700 Westwood Dr., Strongsville, 10:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
City of Green Fire Department, 4200 Massillon Road, Green, 1-7 p.m.
Perry Grange Hall, 6300 Richville Dr. SW, Canton, 1-6 p.m.
Furthermore, here is the latest from the Red Cross on the multitude of donation sites you can give blood:
Those are cannot attend one of these events are encouraged to schedule and appointment at a local donation site, including the location at 501 West Market Street in Akron. You can schedule that appointment at RedCrossBlood.org or on the Red Cross Blood Donor App for your smartphone.