'Not The Time To Put COVID-19 Safety Behind Us': Ohio Doctors

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio's students are returning to classrooms as a wave of COVID-19 and other viruses rises across Ohio.

That means, now is not the time to put COVID-19 safety measures behind us, said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health on Monday. With the FDA giving full approval to the Pfizer vaccine, Vanderhoff hopes some reluctant Ohioans will have the needed assurance to get the vaccine, but other safety measures are still needed.

"For children who can't get the vaccine, those preventive measures we're all familiar with remain vital as we continue to battle against COVID-19," Vanderhoff said, reminding Ohioans to wear masks in shared spaces, wash their hands thoroughly and frequently, and maintain physical distance in public.

Those tactics could protect children as cases of both COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) rise statewide. As more children are hospitalized, many hospitals in Ohio are battling staffing shortages.

"Last year, we had better staffing levels and everyone was wearing a mask," said Dr. Patty Manning-Courtney, from Cincinnati Children's Hospital. She urged Ohioans to again wear masks indoors because it aids in stymieing the spread of COVID-19, but also RSV and other viruses; and preserves hospital beds in hospitals.

Children can now get COVID-19 while battling other respiratory illnesses, like RSV or the flu, Vanderhoff said.

"We are charged with caring for the sickest children in Ohio. We can usually do that without any help. We are now asking for your help. That help comes in the form of getting vaccinated, wearing masks indoors, and maintaining physical distance," she said.

More Than COVID-19

When masks were mandated statewide, RSV and flu case rates dropped to unprecedentedly low levels among children, Forbes said. Now, RSV is spiking in Ohio.

"We've learned that masks really, really work. It was controversial earlier in the pandemic, but I think the controversy is over. Masks work," said Dr. Michael Forbes, of Akron Children's Hospital.

RSV typically causes mild symptoms similar to the common cold. However, the virus can pose a more serious threat to infants, medically-compromised children and the elderly. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With the spike in RSV cases among children, many children's hospitals are under unusual pressure this summer.

"At the rate that things are rising, we have to do everything in our power to get through the next few weeks," Dr. Manning-Courney said.

To protect children from RSV, it's important to wash your hands frequently, physically distance in public spaces and wear masks. Parents should speak to their doctors about what else they can do to protect their children from RSV and other viruses, particularly if children may have underlying health conditions.