ASHLAND — When the first few cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) were confirmed in Ohio, Jeanne Griffin realized an immediate need to adapt her busy lifestyle and stay home more often.
The 94-year-old Loudonville resident and self-described professional volunteer is among the population most likely to face severe health complications from the coronavirus , which was classified as a pandemic Wednesday by the World Health Organization and first identified through testing this past week in Ohio.
A fourth Ohio case was confirmed in Stark County on Wednesday as the first community spread case, or infected person who didn’t report any relevant travel history or exposure to another known patient.
According to early findings from the Center for Disease Control, the more vulnerable populations include older adults and those with serious chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.
Consistently, numerous sources worldwide have reported the highest death rates among these older adults, but this can especially be seen in Italy where the country’s national health institute reported 81 as the average age of those who died after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
The most recent United States Census data shows 18.7 percent of Ashland County’s population is age 65 or older — the most susceptible group.
Further, heart disease is the leading cause of death in Ashland, as cited in the Ashland County Health Department’s 2018 (most recent) community health assessment. Heart disease accounted for 23 percent of all deaths in Ashland County from 2015 to 2017. It is the number one cause of death for women, and the second leading cause for men behind cancers.
Total Deaths: 1,713
- Heart Diseases (23% of all deaths)
- Cancers (21%)
- Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases (7%)
- Alzheimer’s Disease (7%)
- Stroke (6%)
Loudonville’s Griffin learned of a heart condition in December 2019, prompting small, gradual lifestyle changes.
At that time, she decided to slow down her non-stop schedule and focus solely on her passions. She’d continue volunteering at her church and the Cleo Redd Fisher Museum, but now, she’s hesitant to take communion at church and attend upcoming meetings at the museum.
She carries hand sanitizer with her everywhere and joked with the museum curator about watching an upcoming speaker through the safety of a glass case before deciding she would not attend.
The event was ultimately canceled anyways.
“I’m not frightened of it, but I think we need to respect it,” Griffin said. “We all have to work together to do what we need to give ourselves the best chance at avoiding it.”
She appreciates the initiatives to manage the potential spread of COVID-19 and hopes even all people will take the warnings seriously. Anyone exposed to the virus could carry it to an older person or another vulnerable individual.
The museum is among dozens of other local organization canceling its upcoming events. (Watch Ashland Source later today for a way to submit cancellations that we’ll share with the community.)
At Ashland University, all in-person classes have been canceled and its campus is closed to the community, following the reccomendation of Gov. Mike DeWine.
The decision also comes after 18 students were learned to have possibly interacted with someone who had Coronavirus. Those students are under self-quarantine and taking precautions under the advisement of the Ashland County Health Department.
Additionally, the Ashland County Health Department in partnership with the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce has asked all county businesses and organizations to reach out to the department if planning an event that would gather 50 or more. Businesses are asked to share the name and date of the event, a contact and a brief description of the event, including the number of participants anticipated.
It’s a preparedness effort, Jill Hartson of the Ashland County Health Department explained. She encouraged those planning large community events to reference this guide from the CDC.
“As you know, if we begin to see widespread cases of COVID-19 in Ohio or Ashland, we will need to consider canceling events to protect public health,” she said in a letter to business owners.
It’s believed Gov. DeWine will issue an order to cancel all mass gatherings across the state within the next two days. He announced this and possible visiting restrictions for nursing homes in the state are to come.
Local Initiative: Why is the focus on universities and nursing homes?
Currently, the Ashland County Health Department is focusing on preparedness efforts. This includes its communication with local businesses and organizations, but especially hones in on helping places like Ashland University, local nursing homes and assisted living facilities prepare and develop their plans and protocols.
“They all have unique living situations. At AU, there’s small dorms, shared bathrooms and eating facilities where viruses can easily spread,” said Hartson. “And they are more likely to travel and be involved in the community, so the risk of virus spread is greater.”
The same safety concerns don’t exist in local grade schools, which may explain why the state has not issued their closings, Hartson continued. The Ashland County Health Department is following the state’s lead, but still, the department is encouraging grade schools to be proactive. Many are already developing plans for remote education if classes were canceled at some point.
Further, she noted, closing grade schools for unanticipated prolonged periods can create other problems. For some students, a school-provided lunch may be the best or only meal they have.
Taking a lesson from schools, businesses too could develop continuity plans or encourage staff to work from home.
Schools and businesses alike should encourage hand sanitizer and proactively remind people to wash their hands. Perhaps this could be done with signage, Hartson suggests. Those who become ill at work or an event should remove themselves from others immediately.
“These are things we should be doing all the time, but our awareness is heightened now with the novel coronavirus,” she said. “If people stayed home when ill and washed their hands consistently, we’d be living in a different world.”
The objective behind the health department’s initiatives is to protect vulnerable populations and prevent local hospitals from being overwhelmed as they have been in places like Italy.
This is why precautionary action and lifestyle changes are encouraged for everyone.
“Bottom line, this is not a time to panic, but it is a time to be aware. It’s a time to protect not only yourself, but our vulnerable populations,” Hartson said. “Most people who get coronavirus will be fine. The problem is they can still spread the disease to others, and the at risk populations, they could have a severe life threatening condition.”
What should I do if I think I have Coronavirus?
The CDC cautions against immediate doctor visits upon experiencing symptoms, a sentiment Hartson echoed Wednesday.
“We don’t want to see an influx of ‘worried well,'” she said. That could overwhelm hospitals.
The CDC recommends the following:
- Stay home and call your doctor
- Call your healthcare provider and let them know about your symptoms. Tell them that you have or may have COVID-19. This will help them take care of you and keep other people from getting infected or exposed.
- If you are not sick enough to be hospitalized, you can recover at home. Follow CDC instructions for how to take care of yourself at home.
- Know when to get emergency help
- Get medical attention immediately if you have any of the emergency warning signs listed above.
Where do I turn if I still have questions about the Coronavirus?
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has opened a call center to answer questions regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) — but people should remember to not panic and call the line unnecessarily.
The number of potential cases and the results of testing are regularly updated every weekday at coronavirus.ohio.gov.
The call center will be open 7 days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and can be reached at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
Call center staff includes licensed nurses and infectious disease experts. They will be available to answer questions and provide accurate information about COVID-19, the risk to the public and the state’s response.
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