COVID-19 update: Wayne County triggers Level 3 alert level

DGKN staff report

WOOSTER  Wayne County Health Department was notified by the Ohio Department of Health that the county has moved from a Level 2-Orange risk level to a Level 3-Red risk level in the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. The Level 3 designation means that there is very high exposure and spread of COVID-19 within the county. With the holiday weekend and the Junior Fair fast approaching, Wayne County residents are encouraged to limit activities as much as possible and to follow all current health orders, according to a news release from the county health department.

A Level 3 risk classification is given when a county triggers 4-5 of the state’s indicators. This week, Wayne County triggered the following indicators:
1. New cases per capita; 89.9 cases per 100,000 residents in the last two weeks.
2. Sustained increase in new cases; 5.6 cases on Aug. 15 to 12.1 cases on Aug. 26.
3. Proportion of cases not congregate cases.
4. Sustained increase in outpatient visits for COVID-like illness.

Residents should follow the recommended guidelines for Risk Level 3 to reduce the spread of COVID-19:
• Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from non-household members.
• Decrease in-person interactions with others.
• Limit attending gatherings of any number.
• Follow good hygiene standards, including:
– Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
– Use hand sanitizer frequently.
– Avoid touching your face.
– Cover coughs or sneezes (e.g., into a tissue, or elbow).
– Symptom self-evaluation monitoring.
• Consider necessary travel only.
• Seek medical care as needed, but limit or avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and residential care facilities to see others as much as possible.

For more information about the coronavirus situation in Wayne County visit https://www.wayne-health.org/coronavirus