Coronavirus (COVID19) | Ross County Health District

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Ross County Health District (RCHD) response to COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 is now among us, with cases in nearly all of Ohio’s Counties. Here are some key strategies RCHD is doing to help prevent spread of COVID-19 in our community:

Contact Tracing – reaching out to those who have been exposed to positive COVID-19 cases to properly quarantine and monitor for symptoms.
Quarantine and Isolation of those who come in close contact with COVID-19 positive individuals and isolating those that are confirmed positive.
Partnerships– Working with community partners to build resource capacity in our community for housing, income, and hunger. Working with our local healthcare systems and first responders to address COVID-19 related issues in the community.
Monitoring– analysis of local COVID-19 case data, trends, and forecasts to prepare and respond to surges in COVID-19 cases locally.
Emergency Planning– working with the Ross County Emergency Operations Center to establish a unified system of communication to allocate resources and staff to emerging situations. Focuses on PPE Distribution to first responders and health care services along with other resource allocation.
Vulnerable Populations – focusing community efforts and public health strategies locally to provide needed resources to vulnerable populations like the homeless, elderly, and those will underlying health issues.

Highly Recommended Actions to fight COVID-19:

Do not attend large gatherings or meetings. Utilize virtual or web-based meetings or communication for work, school, religious or social.
Stay home when possible. Stay home if sick.
Self quarantine and isolate if you have been exposed to someone sick with COVID-19, if you have symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have travelled to locations abroad or locally that have COVID-19 cases. COVID.19 Quarantine Instructions 03.24.2020 COVID.19 Isolation Instructions 03.24.2020
Work from home if possible.
Those who are 65+ years or older or have underlying health conditions to stay home and avoid large gatherings of people.
Practice physical distancing – maintain 6 ft distance from others.
Wear a face covering or mask when in the public getting essential services (grocery shopping, pharmacy, etc.)
Follow all Public Health Orders issued by Governor Dewine and Ohio Department of Health related to COVID-19, stay at home orders, and social distancing.

Preventing Coronavirus

Practice social distancing, avoid crowds or becoming in close proximity to others.
Wear a face covering or mask when in the public to help prevent spread of COVID-19. This helps prevent spread of COVID-19 from those who may not know they are transmitting the virus.
Frequent hand washing for 20 seconds or more with soapy water
Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth
Stay home when you are sick and avoid contact with people who are sick
Cover mouth/nose with tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

How to Prepare

Keep adequate supply of water, food, medications and pet food in your home to prepare to stay at home for quarantine or isolation for 14 days if you become sick or are exposed to someone who is sick.
Talk to caregivers about backup plans if a primary caregiver becomes
Prepare with immediate family to discuss possible needs if someone gets sick.

Keep Informed

Stay up to date by utilizing trusted sources of information including:

Center for Disease Control (CDC): cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
Ohio Department of Health (ODH): coronavirus.ohio.gov
Ross County Health District: rosscountyhealth.org/covid19, Facebook (Ross County Health District), and Twitter (@RossCoHealth).