COVID-19 UPDATE with The Ross County Health District

Litter Media’s Dan Ramey visits with Ross County Health Commissioner and Medical Director, Christopher Brown, MD.

Much has been learned about coronavirus since March of 2020, but those studying the virus have learned more while Ohio and other states have re-opened.

In an interview with Litter Media, Christopher Brown, MD the Ross County Health Commissioner and Medical Director says a lot of information has changed over the nearly four months of the pandemic. “We’re living science” said Brown as researchers continue to learn more each day.

In the early stages, the only available information was from other countries. As the virus began to spread in the United States, Brown credits Ohio’s proactive efforts which appear to have slowed the spread compared to recent hot spots like Arizona and Florida.

“Some states re-opened faster than Ohio – we had a measured re-opening plan” said Brown, which has kept the numbers lower than what they could have been at this point.

Brown agrees with Governor Mike DeWine’s assessment regarding the wearing of facial coverings. DeWine said Tuesday “If 75%-80% of Ohioans wear a mask we could give this virus a good swat.” Brown says wearing a mask may be cumbersome and inconvenient, doing so is important to stop the spread of the virus to other people.

“The COVID virus is a droplet virus… the virus attaches to droplets. Any time you speak, you sneeze, you cough… and that’s how it spreads.” Brown says the use of a surgical mask is to catch the droplets. “This is the reason for mandating face masks, especially in buildings. That’s where you’re going to be close to other individuals, even if you’re laughing, you’re spreading this virus. But if you have this (a mask) you capture it. (The mask) keeps you from infecting other people.”

Brown says the Ross County Health District is working to get a pop up test station in Chillicothe soon.

Locally, Hopewell Health Centers have three testing locations at 622 Central Center, 1049 Western Avenue and 841 East Main Street at Mt. Logan School.

TESTING AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

Not all testing is free. Brown suggests contacting a site before going for a test.

Contact tracing is becoming more challenge as the COVID-19 cases grow in Ross County. Brown says the re-opening of Ohio’s businesses has made the task more difficult because people are out and about interacting with others.

The key is to remember to be vigilant in hand washing, physical distancing and wearing a face covering will help.

Meanwhile, neighboring Pickaway County and Fairfield County were added to the Level 3 Public Emergency status according to the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. Level 3 (red on the map) means there’s “very high exposure and spread” of the virus and residents are advised to “limit activities as much as possible”.

SEE THE OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM MAP

Butler, Cuyahoga and Hamilton Counties were moved to Level 4 Public Emergency, which is “severe exposure and spread” and much like the Health Order put in place in March, limits residents to “only leave home for supplies and services”.

WATCH THE LITTER MEDIA INTERVIEW WITH DR. BROWN

TOPICS COVERED:

00:00 Open

01:00 Information being released

02:15 Preparing for the surge, which hasn’t happened

03:51 Ohio’s hot spots

05:41 The importance of masks in slowing the spread

07:16 Outside criticism to facial coverings, even during the protests in June

09:21 Why those willing to wear the mask can make a difference

10:22 Family gatherings have stood out as a source of recent outbreaks in hot spots

12:18 COVID-19 Testing

14:21 Some testing is free, some have charges