Thoughts on Covid-19: Voices of the People
Amid the pandemic, Globally, there are 3 million confirmed COVID-19 cases. Nationally, there are 1 million confirmed cases. As of today, there are 16,325 confirmed cases in Ohio. According to the Ohio Department of Health, numbers displayed on the COVID-19 Dashboard, show the most recent preliminary data about cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. All data is subject to change. In Cuyahoga County, there are 1,938 confirmed cases. Below are the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. by states/territories. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
During his daily press conference Monday, Governor Mike DeWine, outlined Responsible RestartOhio, a plan to gradually “reopen Ohio.” DeWine initially issued the stay-at-home order for non-essential workers/activities, 48 days ago. He extended the order on April 2, 2020, until May 1, 2020. The plan outlines five protocols for all businesses.
- No mask, no work, no service, no exception. Require face coverings for employees and clients/customers at all times.
- Conduct daily health assessments by employers and employees(self-evaluation) to determine if “fit for duty.”
- Maintain good hygiene at all time-hand washing, sanitizing, and social distancing.
- Clean and sanitize workplaces throughout the workday and at the close of business or between shifts.
- Limit capacity to meet social distancing guidelines. Establish maximum capacity at 50% of the fire code. Use an appointment setting where possible to limit congestion.
DeWine says slowing the spread of COVID-19 is important. He tweeted Monday,
“Wearing face coverings won’t happen forever, but if we want to get back to work, we have to protect our employees. To not wear masks would be negligent and a mistake. We have to protect these employees.”
DeWine’s tweet published on April 27, 2020.Wearing face coverings won’t happen forever, but if we want to get back to work, we have to protect our employees. To not wear masks would be negligent and a mistake. We have to protect these employees.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) April 27, 2020
Wearing homemade face coverings reduce the risk of potential infection. Though, some fear the risk of potential racial profiling. In a tweet, Aaron Thomas, a Columbus resident, expressed his concerns saying,
“I don’t feel safe wearing a handkerchief or something else that isn’t Clearly a protective mask covering my face to the store because I am a Black man living in this world. I want to stay alive but I also want to stay alive.
Thomas’ tweet published April 4, 2020.I don’t feel safe wearing a handkerchief or something else that isn’t CLEARLY a protective mask covering my face to the store because I am a Black man living in this world. I want to stay alive but I also want to stay alive.
— Aaron Thomas (@Aaron_TheThomas) April 4, 2020
Cleveland residents were asked their thoughts on wearing masks in public. Desean Wright says,
“I never felt like it was a target, it was all in my mental and my expectations of society’s going to be. To be bluntly honest, We’re going to be profiled whether we have a mask on or not. So for the safety of your families, your loved ones, wear your mask.
Cleveland resident, George Edwards, believes perpetuated images attribute to potential profiling saying,
“A lot of people believe a lot of what they see on Tv and take the worst out of it.”
George edwards, Cleveland Resident
When asked for her thoughts on law enforcement profiling African Americans, Dialysis Technician, Niya Mack says,
“Shame on them, shame on them. They know whats going on, they’re essential workers, they know whats going on. There’s no way they should stop a black male because he’s covering his face right now. Unless there’s extra evidence.”
The Merriman, in West Akron, Ohio, is an assisted living and skilled nursing facility offering services in occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy.
For over a year, Sowande Okantah services residents as a Laundry/Housekeeping Aid. He uses disinfectant cleaning supplies daily, and says despite President Trump’s recent suggestion of injecting disinfectants to combat the virus, it poses immense health risks saying,
“When I first started using these products, I wasn’t smart enough to use the gloves. And I saw how terribly it reacted to my skin. And I’m telling you that these chemicals are dangerous to the body. If you’re going to use bleach and I do recommend doing that, wear gloves, this isn’t supposed to be injected for any reason. This is not for the body. No.
In a statement made by Reckitt Benckiser (RBGLY), a British company, that produces Lysol, warned consumers of the danger after consumption of products saying,
“As a global leader in health and hygiene products, we must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion, or any other route).”
The company continued the April 24, 2020, statement saying,
“As with all products, our disinfectants and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information.”
Moving Forward
In compliance with DeWine’s plan to reopen, costumers and workers must wear masks. In addition, DeWine plans to increase testing and tracing. According to the Ohio Department of Health, projections indicate testing expansion beginning April 29, 2020, with 7,228 tests. By May 27, 2020, over 22,000 tests can be conducted daily. In addition, DeWine shared a plan to gather volunteers/workers to trace the virus over an extended period of time. The three-tiered-plan will begin with state health department volunteers. Below is DeWine’s Tweet explaining the plan.
#Ohio is also going to ramp up #ContactTracing in May.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) April 27, 2020
Tier 1: Now, there are 900 volunteers.
Tier 2: We’re getting money to give to health depts. to hire more people b/c #COVID19 will be here for a while.
Tier 3: A group that will be able to surge in if there are hotspots. pic.twitter.com/zIuNcLIa7N
For more information regarding COVID-19 updates and the reopen Ohio plan, visit the Ohio Department of Health’s website.
