WILMINGTON — The Clinton County Health District announced an upcoming COVID-19 “pop-up” testing site where residents can be tested by driving up to the site.
“We are very excited to be able to partner with the Ohio Army National Guard, Clinton County EMA, and the Clinton County Engineer’s Office to be able to have this event,” said Clinton County Health Commissioner Pamela Walker-Bauer.
The testing site will be on Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Clinton County Engineer’s Office at 1326 Fife Ave. in Wilmington (across from the wooden playground at the city park).
The time has not yet been determined — more information will follow as the details are finalized.
There is no cost to be tested, and no doctor’s referral is needed.
The National Guard is expected to bring about 300 test kits. Clinton County Environmental Health Director Matt Johannes said he hopes results would be known by or before the middle of the following week.
At Monday morning’s monthly Board of Health meeting, Walker-Bauer related that “a couple of clergy in the community said we need some pop-up testing.”
The health department presently is so taxed with an upswing in COVID cases, that it will not be able to be there and staff the event, she said.
Earlier in the day, Clinton County commissioners pledged up to $1,500 to cover related costs of the pop-up testing, such as a light meal for the Ohio National Guard and community workers, plus any incidentals.
During the commissioners session, Clinton County Commissioner Brenda Woods and Clinton County Administrator Mary Ann Haines Foland both volunteered to help out at the pop-up testing.
Please be reminded that Ohio’s coronavirus call center is open to answer questions 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The hotline number is 1-833-4-ASK-ODH or 1-833-427-5634.
For more information on COVID-19 resources in Clinton County, please visit the information hub www.covidcc.com. For the latest updates, follow the CCHD on our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Statewide
Gov. Mike DeWine and several health professionals told Ohioans that coronavirus-related hospitalizations are rising rapidly, and they reiterated the importance of taking extra precautions this holiday week.
“In the next few weeks, every hospital in the state is going to have to make tough decisions about how it will staff its beds, what elective procedures they’ll have to postpone, even potentially postponing ambulatory and outpatient office visits,” Gov. Mike DeWine told Ohioans at his Monday briefing.
“We are responding to the surge, but as the surge increases, we’ll need to make more decisions about how we triage and how we take care of patients appropriately.”
Hospital warnings
Dr. Richard Lofgren of UC Health stated Monday, “The growth in hospitalizations exponential. We’re not planning for the surge — the surge is here. We’re approaching the point where the influx of COVID patients will displace non-COVID care.”
Rhonda Lehman with Mercy Health said, “The inpatient side is filling up faster than we’re able to discharge patients.”
Dr. Robert Wyllie of the Cleveland Clinic said, “My biggest concern today is that at the Cleveland Clinic we have 970 caregivers out b/c they are either on quarantine or they have active COVID infections. They are not catching it in the hospital, they are getting it in the community.
Dr. Andy Thomas of the OSU Wexner Medical Center told Ohioans during Gov. Mike DeWine’s Monday briefing, “We can’t sound the alarm bell loud enough for people in Ohio to change their behavior. With Thanksgiving coming up, keep within your bubble. If you have family coming over, hopefully they’ve been quarantining for 14 days.
Gov. DeWine added, “When you go to Thanksgiving dinner this year, you’ll bring everyone you’ve been around with you. Please stay safe and keep the celebrations small this week.”
