Stark County Government:Residents Who Receive Letters, As A Case Or Contact, Will Not Be Sent An Additional Letter For Exclusion Or Release

Press release from the Stark County Government:

9/10/2021 8:09:10 AM

Residents who receive letters, as a case or contact, will not be sent an additional letter for exclusion or release

The Ohio Department of Health is currently experiencing a delay in receiving lab reports on COVID-19 positive tests from around the state. This may cause a delay in our department sending letters to our residents in a timely manner. Due to the volume of COVID-19 cases, our staff has been sending letters to inform residents of this delay and offer them the process in which they should follow if they are a positive COVID-19 case or a close contact. Residents will not receive an additional letter for exclusion or release. They should use the time frame from their symptom onset or test date to determine their isolation, quarantine or release.

Our department wants to give the community an idea of what kind of COVID-19 case increase we have seen over the past three months. It is also a concern how many positive cases there are among the minors in our community.

Confirmed and probable cases in Stark County:
June: 240 confirmed and probable cases – 16 of those were minors.
July: 527 confirmed and probable cases – 80 of those were minors.
August: 2,684 confirmed and probable cases – 420 of those were minors.
As of September 8, 2021: 1,391 confirmed and probable cases – 371 of those were minors.
*This data comes from the Data Ohio Portal.

Last week, our department outlined the process that we would be following for those diagnosed with COVID-19 and their close contacts. Those residents should follow this process in the event that our department does not reach them in a timely manner:

Positive with COVID-19:
If a resident has been diagnosed with COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, we ask that they isolate in their home until 10 days from symptom onset and until fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medicine and the symptoms have improved. If a resident has no symptoms, we ask that they still isolate in their home for 10 days from the test date. If a resident is past the 10-day period and symptoms have not improved, please call a health care provider and seek medical attention. It is important for the resident to inform the health care provider of their COVID-19 diagnosis.

Our department asks any COVID-19 positive resident to please reach out to anyone that they have been with for 15 minutes or more, within 6 feet or less, from two days before their first symptom(s) started, or the day they went for testing and throughout the course of the isolation period.

Unvaccinated Contacts:
Those unvaccinated household contacts and unvaccinated close contacts outside of the home should quarantine in their home for at least 10 days after last exposure to the COVID-19 positive resident. It is important for them to monitor any symptoms for 14 days.

Fully Vaccinated Contacts:
If someone is fully vaccinated and exposed to COVID-19, they should wear a mask around others and monitor any symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following the exposure and follow recommended isolation protocols if symptoms of COVID-19 develop. Those that are fully vaccinated and have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure, do not have to quarantine.

Testing:
Our department recommends any resident that has symptoms of COVID-19 or has knowingly been exposed to someone that has COVID-19, to be tested at an area pharmacy or a physician’s office. Residents may also pick up a BinaxNOW antigen test kit at several Stark County Library locations.

The Stark County Library offers the kits for pick up at the following drive-up locations:
North Branch 189 25th Street NW, Canton, Ohio 44709
Jackson Community Branch 7487 Fulton Dr. NW, Massillon, OH 44646
Lake Community Branch 565 Market Ave. SW, Uniontown, Ohio 44685

The Ohio Department of Health is reminding residents that the demand for testing is exceptionally high and each testing location has its own inventory controls and protocols for the public to access tests. When a testing location is found, it’s important to call in advance to ensure tests are available and to determine how to access tests. If testing is not available for any reason, many partners can direct residents to an alternate location.

Get Your Vaccine:
In order for our community to put an end to this pandemic, we ask that you wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water, that you wear a facial covering (vaccinated and unvaccinated) indoors, that you keep a social distance of 6 feet or more when out in public, and that you stay home if you are not feeling well. We do not want to move backwards in this fight so please schedule your COVID-19 vaccine today at ArmorVax.com or call our health department at 330.451.1681.

We can help you get the vaccine which remains the best defense against this virus. Our department offers the Pfizer vaccine which is now fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for those 16 years of age and older. Those 12 to 15 years of age are still eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine but it is still currently under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). We want to thank our residents for their continued diligence and patience as we navigate this pandemic together.

This press release was produced by the Stark County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.