As of currently released data (Dec. 3 at 2 pm), we have 8 counties listed as PURPLE, 3 counties approaching PURPLE, and ALL counties identified as high case incidence status.
PURPLE: Lake, Lorain, Medina, Montgomery, Portage, Richland, Stark, Summit
APPROACHING PURPLE: Cuyahoga, Fairfield, Madison
RED: 72 counties in RED, compared to only 9 a few months ago
ORANGE: 8
YELLOW: 0
There is a current urgent need to make adjustments to keep everyone safe and to help do our part to not contribute to the spread. As such, we will be, once again, reducing our in-person programming footprint, similar (but not exactly) to what was in place in the spring.
We are not making decisions in a vacuum; rather, we are paying attention to available data and changing situations (see the Governor’s news release).
Rationale and Assumptions:
- The number of cases, hospitalizations and death in Ohio are on the rise and are NOT likely to reverse in the next 3-4 weeks
- The increased gatherings over Thanksgiving and anticipated gatherings likely to occur between now and the new year will only contribute to this pattern of increase
- Experts are indicating that hospital capacity in Ohio is already stressed by new COVID cases and will soon have limited availability for non-COVID patients—this demand does not reflect the anticipated increases from recent Thanksgiving gatherings
- We must do our part in helping flatten the curve and help keep hospitals and the health care workforce from being overwhelmed
- We, as part of an academic institution, need to follow science and model what the CDC and other health experts stress is important in addressing this virus