For the first time since the system was introduced, Hamilton County dropped from a red Level 3 ranking to an orange Level 2 on Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System.
Ohio’s latest #COVID19 data can be found at https://t.co/3lWx4IRScb.
This week’s updated Public Health Advisory map is also available at https://t.co/58Cg4HJ1uM pic.twitter.com/bAcRUehOsg
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 6, 2020
Of the news, Mayor John Cranley issued a statement saying: “Masks are working! Hamilton County is no longer red under the health advisory system. By wearing masks and following safety protocols, our indicators have improved and we are now orange. Keep up the good work!”
The four-level color-coded map was introduced at the beginning of July and functions as an alert system to notify the public, health and government officials and business owners about the spread of COVID-19 in any given county.
The four levels of severity are yellow, or Level 1, which indicates active exposure and spread; orange, or Level 2, which indicates increased exposure and spread; red, or Level 3, which indicates very high exposure and spread; and purple, or Level 4, which indicates severe exposure and spread. Each level is determined by seven data indicators that build on the current baseline COVID-19 risk and come with a series of suggested protocols.
For example, those in red counties should limit their activity as much as possible and avoid large gatherings, and those in purple counties should only leave home for essential supplies and services.
Since the advisory system was introduced, Hamilton County has been coded as red, or Level 3, and even reached the threat of turning purple one week. The map is updated weekly based on county data and this week is the first week Hamilton County has dropped down to orange, or Level 2.
As of Aug. 6, Hamilton County had recorded 776 new cases of COVID-19 over the past two weeks, per the map data. That’s less than 100 cases per 100,000 people — the infection threshold for being considered in a red zone.
In Cincinnati, there were 40 new cases reported on Aug. 6, according to the Cincinnati Health Department data tracker.
Get more information at coronavirus.ohio.gov.
This article appears in The Burger Issue 2020.