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COVID-19 concerns growing

Classes canceled, other changes are implemented in Ohio

Dr. Mysheika Roberts, Columbus public health commissioner, explains her decision to seek a public health emergency order for the city to help combat the spread of the coronavirus Friday, March 13, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. Roberts and Mayor Andrew Ginther said the order would allow the city to enforce mandatory testing and quarantines if needed. The city has no reported cases yet. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins)

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — As President Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency, Belmont County Sheriff David Lucas moved Friday to suspend a number of activities, including in-person visits to the county jail.

These operational changes are being made in response to to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lucas announced that effective immediately, the following activities are being suspended until further notice:

∫ In-person visitation at the jail (online video visitation will still be available);

∫ Concealed Carry appointments; and

∫ Background check appointments.

Lucas said sex offender registration will continue with additional safety protocols in place. For example, any employee dealing with anyone from outside the sheriff’s office is to be wearing gloves.

“Only mission-critical operations will continue during this time,” Lucas states in a news release. “We will be following the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s Entry Guidelines for all persons entering the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office facility.

“These precautionary measures are being taken in light of the recent outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID 19), which now includes two cases in Belmont County,” he continued. “We will re-evaluate our operational status on a week-to-week basis.”

He recommends visiting belmontsheriff.com or the department’s Facebook page for updates.

Cancellations and closings are sweeping across Ohio as coronavirus concerns grow. Health officials say 13 people in the state — eight men and five women — have tested positive for coronavirus, including two in Belmont County. Ohio is testing 159 people who have shown symptoms of respiratory distress and has cleared another 50 people.

For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.

Students, parents and schools are bracing for the three-week shutdown beginning Monday ordered by Gov. Mike DeWine.

The governor said Friday the federal government has granted Ohio a waiver in its distribution of federally funded meals normally served to low-income children at school, including breakfast and lunch. That will give districts the option to package meals for delivery to children at home, with the delivery method up to districts and local groups assisting them.

The state also plans to loosen staffing regulations at daycares and preschools, which remain open, to temporarily increase the child-staff ratio. Democratic state lawmakers called on DeWine, a Republican, to cancel mandated school testing this year.

Ohio University, including the Eastern campus in St. Clairsville, is extending its spring break and moving classes online. Ohio State University and many other public and private colleges across the state have canceled all in-person classes for the rest of the semester. OSU ordered dorms vacated within two weeks.

Ohio’s Roman Catholic bishops exempted parishioners from Mass for the next three weekends, and other denominations also eliminated services.

Adding to families’ challenges is the decision of library systems across the state, including Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo, to shut down for the same-three week period.

Several cities also closed their recreation centers. With schools closed, shoppers across the state emptied grocery store shelves of products, especially toilet paper.

DeWine is expected to order all visitors prohibited from nursing homes, an order he is also extending to the state’s psychiatric hospitals. Akron Children’s Hospital is limiting visitors to two a day per patient.

In central Ohio, the YMCA is removing toys that can’t be easily cleaned from play areas and limiting the ability of people to work out on adjacent machines.

Columbus was among cities seeking a public health emergency order that would allow mandatory testing and quarantines if necessary. Columbus and Cleveland were also among cities temporarily banning water and electrical shut-offs to ensure residents can practice good hygiene to help ward off the virus.

More than 1,200 people have signed up for poll worker duty across the state after elections boards reported some workers were dropping out, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

State Auditor Keith Faber encouraged full- and part-time staff to take a paid leave day Tuesday to work the polls.

In Stark County in northeastern Ohio, the elections board ordered more than 118,000 Q-tips to reduce the risk of infection by allowing voters to tap their selections with the Q-tips.

Trump on Friday declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency in order to free up more money and resources. But he denied any responsibility for delays in making testing available for the new virus, whose spread has roiled markets and disrupted the lives of everyday Americans.

Speaking from the Rose Garden, Trump said, “I am officially declaring a national emergency,” unleashing as much as $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the outbreak.

Trump also announced a range of executive actions, including a new public-private partnership to expand coronavirus testing capabilities with drive-through locations, as his administration has come under fire for being too slow in making the test available.

Late Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a deal with the Trump administration for an aid package from Congress that aims at direct relief to Americans — free testing, two weeks of sick pay for workers, enhanced unemployment benefits and bolstered food programs.

“We are proud to have reached an agreement with the Administration to resolve outstanding challenges, and now will soon pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” Pelosi announced in a letter to colleagues after days of negotiations with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The House was poised to vote late Friday.

Trump tweeted his approval. “I fully support H.R. 6201: Families First CoronaVirus Response Act,” Trump wrote.

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