MOUNT VERNON – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced last Wednesday that all COVID-related health orders would be lifted June 2, regardless of whether or not the state hit its previous goal of 50 new cases per 100,000 residents over the last two weeks.
Knox Public Health said in a statement Thursday that it supports this move, although it warned that COVID-19 is still present in the community.
“We support the governor’s decision to lift COVID-related health orders on June 2,” KPH spokeswoman Pam Palm wrote. “A lessening of restrictions and getting more people vaccinated by the beginning of summer has been our goal all-along.”
Ohio’s COVID-related health orders were put in place over a year ago to help prevent the spread of the virus. They mandated masks and social distancing in public settings, as well as capacity restrictions at indoor and outdoor events.
But COVID-related cases, hospitalizations and deaths have declined in recent months, as the vaccine has become more widely available. Roughly 43 percent of Ohio was at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Wednesday, according to the Ohio Department of Health, and last week the vaccine became available to anyone age 12 or older.
“It’s time to end the health orders. It’s been a year. You’ve followed the protocols. You’ve done what we’ve asked. You’ve bravely fought this virus …” DeWine said in a statewide broadcast last Wednesday.
“Each person now has access to a mighty weapon they can use to get 100 percent protection, and it is up to each Ohio citizen whether to use it or not. There comes a time when individual responsibility simply must take over.”
Lifting Ohio’s COVID-related health orders will allow residents to regain “some sense of normalcy,” Palm said, after nearly 15 months of heightened risk mitigation.
“The lifting of health orders and an increase in the number of people who are vaccinated will certainly help with the planning of summer activities like fairs and festivals, family reunions and high school reunions, weddings and other get-togethers,” Palm said.
“Many businesses will also benefit as we get back to doing activities we were doing before the pandemic, like eating indoors at restaurants, going to the movies and theater productions, attending concerts and other events. It’s a step towards getting back to some sense of normalcy.”
The CDC announced even more progressive measures Thursday, updating its guidance to allow fully vaccinated individuals to drop their masks at most indoor locations. Ohio followed suit Monday, announcing revised health orders that aligned with the federal recommendations.
Ohio may soon reach its original goal anyway. The state’s per-capita infection rate has dropped precipitously over the last month, going from 200 cases per 100,000 residents on April 15 to 106.9 on Monday, according to the ODH.
DeWine said in a press conference Monday afternoon that he anticipates Ohio will reach the 50-cases-per-100,000-residents mark within the next month.
“We’ve been dropping 15 to 20 points every week since mid-April, which means that we are on track to hit our goal of 50 cases per 100,000 we would think in the coming month if this continues,” DeWine said. “We don’t know if this will continue, but we certainly like what we’re seeing.”
Knox County’s per-capita infection rate has dropped from 189.34 cases per 100,000 residents on April 1 to 70.60 last Thursday. The county reported the seventh-lowest test positivity rate in the state last week, with just 1.6 percent of all COVID-19 tests coming back positive.
It is currently on the verge of going “yellow” in the state’s Public Health Advisory System for the first time since Oct. 1, 2020.
While KPH stated its support for the lowering of Ohio’s health orders, Palm warned that COVID-19 is still spreading in the community. There were 26 active cases in Knox County last Thursday, according to KPH, and seven residents were hospitalized with the virus.
Knox County has seen more than 4,500 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began. Over 300 residents have been hospitalized by the virus, and 85 have died from it.
“It is important to note that COVID-19 is still very present in our community. We see new cases every day,” Palm said. “There are currently (seven) people hospitalized in Knox County, which is an increase in recent weeks, and there has been a dramatic increase in the presence of COVID-19 in Mount Vernon’s wastewater system, which is an indicator that there are a lot of infected people out there.
“Some of those people might not be sick enough to be hospitalized or even miss work, but they have the potential to spread the virus along to others, who might not be so lucky. This situation reinforces the need to get people vaccinated.”
That’s the key moving forward, Palm said: vaccinations. Nearly one-third of Knox County is at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the ODH, while 30 percent is fully vaccinated. KPH and other local partners will continue to administer the vaccine moving forward, Palm said, with the goal of immunizing as many residents as possible.
“Getting people vaccinated is the key to our success. Being vaccinated is not only good for the individual, but it’s good for everyone else – our family members and friends, our co-workers and our neighbors – everyone benefits,” Palm said.
“People who are vaccinated are less likely to contract the virus or pass it on to others. If anyone wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19, they have several places to choose from here in Knox County. Between the health department and the hospital, plus several pharmacies, the COVID-19 vaccine is readily available in Knox County.”
Looking to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? Click here for a full list of local providers.
