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Pike County Issues Letter to Community on Rumors

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CASES: Pike County still only has ONE confirmed case as of 04/03/2020 at 2:00pm. This individual has recovered but is continuing to quarantine themselves and their family on their own, out of concern for the community. We are notified FIRST of positive lab results per state law. When we are notified of positive cases, we will post on our Facebook page and issue a press release. We then immediately start contact tracing.


RUMORS: We have seen all the posts and comments on Facebook. We have heard of agencies notifying

people they have been a contact of a confirmed case in Pike County. Hospitals are telling individuals to self- isolate and quarantine when they are tested. They are told to assume they are positive until notified otherwise. These test results can take up to 14 days to come back. We have answered hundreds of calls of people panicking that they have been exposed.

This is inappropriate, untrue, and is causing panic in our community. It is also overwhelming our small staff.

There are 11 of us to cover 28,000 citizens – only 7 of which are full-time. If you are a contact of a positive case, you will be contacted by the health district. To be considered a contact, you must have been within 6 feet of the individual for a prolonged period. This is why we are telling people to STAY HOME. Limit your exposure, practice social distancing. This is not a drill, this is real.


Why do you need to know if your neighbor or friend has this virus? Why are you calling and cursing at our staff when they won’t provide a location? You should not be visiting that neighbor or friend anyways. You should assume everyone has the virus and act accordingly. No one should be having dinner parties, birthday parties, or visiting someone they do not live with unless they are that person’s caregiver. Imagine you or your
family get the phone call saying you tested positive for COVID-19. You would want to be treated with kindness and dignity. You would want your privacy protected so that you didn’t have to fear for the safety of your family when you should be focusing on getting well. No one wants this virus, and no one wants to be the one who gives it to others. That is why we should all be staying home and only going out when it’s absolutely necessary.

Remember, Dr. Acton stated that 40-70% of all Ohioans will be infected over the next 12 months.

TESTING: While testing capabilities have improved, they are still limited. If you can manage your symptoms at home, odds are you will not be tested. Hopefully, the rapid tests will arrive soon and improve testing capabilities in our community. Until then, be KIND. Health care workers are following guidelines from the CDC to make the most out of the limited supplies we have, including testing materials. They get no joy out of turning you away for testing. Every day they go to work despite their fear. You may have heard about the Strategic National Stockpile, or SNS, being distributed. These items are distributed based on population, so the supplies we are receiving, though helpful, will not be enough.

The Golden Rule still applies in Pike County. So, before you click Share, Like, or Post — pause for a moment.

Ask yourself…is it true? Is it kind? Is it helpful? #puttheunityincommunity
Cordially,
Matt Brewster
Health Commissioner