CLEVELAND — While Ohio still does not have any confirmed cases of coronavirus, Governor Mike DeWine spoke from MetroHealth in Cleveland Thursday about what the state is doing to prepare for the worst.
“All Ohioans must have a sense of urgency about this emerging health threat,” Gov. DeWine said at a news conference.
Watch the press conference below, or click here.
The governor urged residents to have a preparedness kit — anything you might need for a couple of weeks to stay inside your house, like food for you and your kids, pets, elderly parents, cold medicine, and regular medicine.
DeWine is already ordering several state departments to step up their preparedness.
“I am, today, directing the Ohio Department of Transportation to post information from our department of health in all state rest areas on hand washing protocols, and to include messages on Ohio travel TV.”
DeWine is also ordering state facilities like hospitals and prisons to rethink their disinfectant measures, as well as prohibiting travel to places like China and South Korea.
“This is something we really are prepared for, infectious diseases is something we know,” said Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton. “Even when there's a new infectious disease, they are predictably unpredictable.”
MetroHealth is already taking steps to ensure if and when the disease gets here, they are prepared.
Their Special Disease Care Unit is sitting ready to take in potential patients.
They have future concerns about a shortage of masks because many are made in China.
“We have a stockpile in Ohio, but the CDC is also working on creating a whole new larger stash,” Acton said.
The state of Ohio has created a new website for the coronavirus: coronavirus.ohio.gov - they will keep everything you need to know about the coronovirus, in real time, on that site.
