Wear Masks Indoors In Cuyahoga County, Officials Say

CLEVELAND — Cuyahoga County employees and visitors must wear masks in all county buildings starting Friday.

Officials issued a new executive order mandating masks in all county buildings. The latest surge in cases prompted the change in mask policies, said Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health is also recommending all students and staff in schools wear masks while in classrooms. Schools should also maintain a minimum of 3 feet between students in classrooms.

"Now is not the time to let up on our hard work to reduce this virus," Budish said. He added that while he's tired of masks, and is himself vaccinated, the re-emergence of the virus demands Ohioans put masks back on.

There were 61 new cases per 100,000 residents in Cuyahoga County last week. That means the county has seen "substantial" spread of COVID-19, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

The spread of COVID-19 cases in Cuyahoga County can be attributed to the delta variant of the virus, Budish said. This variant is more contagious than the alpha strand, though it can still be stymied if more Ohioans get vaccinated.

A sustained surge in new cases and hospitalizations is likely locally, according to Cuyahoga County Board of Health Commissioner Terry Allan. As the weather gradually becomes colder, the spike in new cases could climb even higher, he said.

Vaccinated Ohioans could unwittingly transmit the virus to unvaccinated residents. This could pose a particular risk for children 12 and younger, who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, Allan said.

Vaccinated Ohioans may be protected from illness due to COVID-19, but they can still carry the same viral load as an unvaccinated person, according to Dr. Robert Wylie of the Cleveland Clinic. That means a vaccinated Ohioan can spread the virus like an unvaccinated person.

"Consider the vaccine and mask together to be an insurance policy. The vaccine can protect 95 percent of people from the severe effects of the virus. Masks also prevent you from unknowingly exposing someone if you're vaccinated," he said. "Without these two tested prevention strategies, the cost could be high to you and the people you care about."

Unvaccinated Ohioans account for the majority of new cases and nearly all of the deaths now associated with the virus, Allan said.

"We saw a glimpse of what freedom could really look like this summer. We have an opportunity to get back to that point, but we have to do it together," Budish said.