(Dover, Ohio) – Although the numbers of new COVID-19 cases are flattening, the Tuscarawas County Health Department COVID-19 Operations Team and its partners are continuing to work hard to minimize infection.
“We are seeing a smaller number of new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases locally,” explained Katie Seward, MPH, CTTS, CHES, Tuscarawas County Health Commissioner. “However, I want to remind residents that we must continue to follow the stay-at-home order and social distancing measures to keep the rate of infection low. In public health, when we work effectively with our community and our partners on COVID-19 response activities, we can ideally expect to see evidence that our efforts are working through reduced numbers of COVID-19 cases.”
“Whether or not we are able to keep COVID-19 cases low in our community is contingent upon our actions over the next two weeks,” noted Seward. “We need to remember that this virus is highly contagious and spreads easily from person to person, which is why we are seeing some nursing homes in other parts of Ohio experiencing multiple cases within the same facility. By continuing to follow the stay-at-home order and social distancing measures, we can all do our part to safeguard ourselves and our community from the threat of COVID-19.”
The Tuscarawas County Health Department (TCHD) recommends the following precautionary measures when running necessary errands at essential businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies:
- Keep at least six feet of space between you and others
- Shop patiently
- Limit shopping trips
- Shop alone, when possible
- Stay home when you’re not feeling well
- Wash/sanitize hands before and after
- Don’t touch your face while shopping
- Wear a fabric mask if you can (fabric masks should not be placed on children under two)
- Shop online or call ahead for curbside pick-up and delivery where available
For more information, visit tchdnow.org, the TCHD Facebook page, or sign up for weekly email updates at director@tchdnow.org. The Ohio Department of Health call center is available 7 days a week at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH, and detailed COVID-19 data is available at coronarvirus.ohio.gov.
