Richland County, OH –Richland County remained at Risk Level 3/Red for the fourth week in the Ohio Public Health Advisory System (OPHAS) for COVID-19. This is the fifth time Richland County has been flagged as a Red county, July 16, 2020 being the first time. (*see timeline below).
This week’s Level 3/Red rating comes with a High Incident label. Despite meeting only two of the indicators in the OPHAS system, Richland County has a high 130.41 cases per 100,000 population. Richland County will remain at the Red indicator of very high exposure and spread of COVID-19 until the Cases per Capita drops below 100.The other indicator met was Cases in Non-Congregate settings. Richland County residents are encouraged to limit activities as much as possible and to follow all current health orders.
Richland County is one of 38 of Ohio’s 88 counties this week with the Level 3/Red designation. Only three (3) of those counties do not have a high incident of COVID-19 spread and three (3) of the counties are indicating a trend toward Level 4 (Purple). 46 of Ohio counties are at Level 2/Orange and only four (4) are at Level 1/Yellow. 74% of Ohioans are living in a Red-designated county.
Level 3 mandates facial coverings be worn at all times. This includes when in any indoor location that is not a residence; Outdoors and unable to consistently maintain a distance of six feet or more from individuals who are not members of their own household; waiting for, riding, driving or operating public transportation, a taxi, a private car service or ride sharing vehicle. This does not apply to vehicles engaged in direct travel through a county that does not stop in that county.(See this link About Cloth Face Coverings).
Richland County residents should follow the recommended guidelines for Risk Level 3 to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
- Wear a face covering (cloth mask) when out in the public.
- Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from non-household members.
- Consider necessary travel only.
- 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 any number.
- Conduct a daily health/symptom self-evaluation and stay at home if symptomatic.
- Seek medical care as needed, but limit or avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and residential care facilities to see others as much as possible.
For more information about the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, visithttp://coronavirus.ohio.gov.
For moreinformationabout the coronavirus situation in Richland County visithttps://www.richlandhealth.org/and follow the coronavirus links in the sliders.
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.
*Richland County’s Ohio Public Health Advisory System ratings for COVID-19:
On July 2 Governor DeWine announced color coding of counties by COVID-19 spread risk.
- July 2: Richland County starts in Level 2 (Orange)
- July 16: Richland County goes to Level 3 (Red)
- July 30:Richland County goes to Level 1 (Yellow)
- August 6: Richland County goes to Level 2 (Orange)
- August 20: Richland County goes to Level 1 (Yellow)
- August 27: Richland County still at Level 1 (Yellow)
- September3: Richland County still at Level 1 (Yellow)
- September10:Richland County still Level 1 (Yellow)
- September 17:Richland County goes to Level 2 (Orange)
- September25:Richland County still at Level 2 (Orange)
- October 1:Richland County returns to Level 3 (Redwith a warning for Purple)
- October 8:Richland County remains at Level3 (Red)
- October 15: Richland County remains at Level 3 (Red)
- October 22: Richland County remains at Level 3 (Red with a High Incident warning)