By: Mahoning Matters Staff; 1812Blockhouse
According to the latest figures on Monday from the Ohio Department of Health, the state is reporting 760,837 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, to date — 3,215 more than reported Sunday,The weekly volume of virus testing statewide continues a slump that began in late November. The average percent of positive tests, however, also continues to trend downward and has reached its lowest point since early November.
So far this month, agencies statewide have administered an average 10,287 fewer tests per day than in December. More…
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
by Ryan Gabrielson, Caroline Chen and Mollie Simon, ProPublica
As reports emerge across the country of health facilities throwing out unused and spoiled COVID-19 vaccines, some state governments are failing to track the wastage as required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leaving officials coordinating immunization efforts blind to exactly how many of the precious, limited doses are going into the trash and why. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
Ohio’s 10 PM to 5 AM curfew will be extended past its expiration date this coming weekend, Governor Mike DeWine said in his Thursday briefing.
“Look, we would love to get rid of it,” DeWine said. The culprit that will keep it around is the arrival in Ohio of new, more contagious strains of the COVID-19 virus and the uncertainty that creates.
The curfew began in mid-November, and was extended an initial time the next month. More…
Featured, Public Health, Richland County Schools, State of Ohio
By 1812Blockhouse
Thursday’s numbers shared by the State of Ohio relating to COVID-19 cases in Ohio schools had some good news for Richland County.
The county’s total number of reported cases dropped from a total of 49 a week ago to 39 on January 14.
These 39 new infections represent 15 students and 24 staff members. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
Avita Health System has received a limited number of COVID-19 vaccines to administer to the public for Phase 1B of Ohio’s Phased Approach.
As of Thursday, Bucyrus, Galion, and Ontario Hospitals are taking vaccine requests from persons 80 years of age and older. To request an appointment, call 419-468-0800 Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Requests will not be accepted from those who do not meet the minimum age requirement. Walk-in appointments are not available.
“The public will be scheduled for their COVID-19 vaccine at Avita on a first come, first serve basis,” explains Jerome Morasko, CEO / President of Avita Health System. “We have a limited number of doses to administer from our first shipment of vaccines for Phase 1B, which is outlined to start with those 80 years of age and older. As this phase progresses, many others will get a turn to be vaccinated.” More…
By 1812Blockhouse
Great news this week for local book lovers.
For the first time since early December, all branches of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library are again open for in-person browsing.
The Library began modifying hours and services back on March 16 with the closure of all locations. Since that time, the availability of services has been governed by State of Ohio health directives and a desire to maintain the health and safety of patrons and staff. More…
Featured, Mansfield Richland County Public Library, Public Health
By 1812Blockhouse
The end of the Christmas and New Year’s holiday COVID-19 infection watch is within sight, and local numbers reported Monday by Richland Public Health do show a continued rise in cases.
The statistics are sobering and key numbers have reached record levels, with infection totals increasing by over 75& in the last month. On December 7, the total number of confirmed and probable cases stood at 4,627; it is now at 8,386.
Assuming that each person would become infected only once, the number of cumulative cases would now represent approximately 6.7% of county residents. More…
Coronavirus, Featured, Public Health, Richland Public Health
By 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction reported numbers on Sunday for levels of COVID-19 infection and related statistics.
So far in January, 1,713 tests have been administered with 151 positive results.
Richland County numbers included a large quarantined population at MANCI, the second highest of any facility in the system. For these statistics, Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed, or potentially exposed, to a contagious disease to see if they become sick More…
By Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine got a lot of attention Wednesday when he said that 60% of nursing home workers who were offered a coronavirus vaccine refused to take it.
But state health officials on Thursday said there’s no organized effort to track refusals among people they consider so critical that they’ve been given first crack at the scarce vaccines.
In a press conference, DeWine implored people who are eligible for the vaccine to accept it, warning that it could be a long time before they get another chance. That argument might seem pretty compelling, given that a fast-spreading variant of the virus has popped up in two states, ICU beds are filling and the two approved vaccines have trickled out at a rate far lower than the Trump administration promised. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
This week, Governor DeWine provided updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in reference to vaccines,school quarantine guidance changes, curfew extension, the availability of grants to Ohio bars and restaurants, and current case data as of Wednesday, December 30.
OHIO VACCINES
Ohio is expected to receive more than 238,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines next week. Governor DeWine encouraged those administering the vaccine to do so with urgency. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
It has been a year unlike any other in our lifetimes, as a pandemic which struck without regard to social or economic status not only ravaged populations worldwide, but altered the ways in which Americans, Ohioans, and Richland Countians live and work. The changes have been dramatic and many continue.
On the last day of the year we look back at the story of this public health crisis as told in the pages and posts of 1812Blockhouse.
It is difficult to know how many posts had the pandemic as a topic. A quick look at analytics revealed that there were 266 posts that referenced the word “COVID,” and 162 that included the word “coronavirus,” but some of those would have occurred in the same article. More…
In an email to The Ohio State University community earlier this week, President Kristina Johnson addressed a variety of matters, including the return to all campuses after the start of the new year.
The email read as follows:
“Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
Warmest holiday wishes, Buckeyes. This past year has brought historic challenges for our university. Through it all, you have demonstrated time and again the ingenuity and grace with which our Ohio State family faces moments of great adversity. I am proud to be part of a community that makes such a positive difference in the lives of so many. More…
Richland Public Health has been awarded a $10,000 grant to participate in the Increasing Disability Inclusion in the Mobilizing for Action Through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) Process project.
The grant award was from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the voice of the country’s nearly 3,000 local governmental health departments, with support from the National Center for Health, Physical Activity, and Disability (NCHPAD). Richland Public Health and the Health Department of Northwest Michigan were the two recipients of the grant. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Richland County Unified Messaging Team has launched the “Count On Me Richland County” campaign in an effort to keep the Richland County community up-to-date about COVID-19 facts, suggested guidelines, updates, local impact and ways to support ourselves and each other as we all work to CANCEL COVID in our community.
Lead by Dr. Julie Chaya at Richland Public Health, the Richland County Unified Messaging Team includes area leaders and communication experts from Destination Mansfield-Richland County, DRM Productions, Integrity Project Management, OhioHealth Mansfield, Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, and the Richland County Foundation combining their resources to serve Richland County in this unusual time. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
North Central State College is taking a serious and considered start to the new year.
That was made clear in a letter sent to the NCSC Community this past week by President &CEO Dorey Diab. Diab shared the basic plan for restarting classes after the first of the year:
“Starting January 11, we will begin the semester totally online for the first week. All classes will meet online for that first week, and no in-person, on-campus classes will be held until Tuesday, January 19th. More…
