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Coronavirus
As a new strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) swept through the world in 2020, preparedness plans, masking policies and more public policy changed just as quickly. WVXU has covered the pandemic's impact on the Tri-State from the very beginning, when on March 3, 2020, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine barred spectators from attending the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus over concerns about the virus, even though Ohio had yet to confirm a single case of COVID-19.

Hamilton County Issues Advisory For People To Stay Home

empty parking lot coronavirus
Jason Whitman
/
WVXU
A lone goose sits in an empty Hobby Lobby parking lot in the early days of stay-at-home orders during the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Sunday, April 5, 2020, in Cincinnati.

Hamilton County is joining others around the state in issuing a stay at home advisory to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

"What I am asking is that people stay at home as much as possible," says Health Commissioner Greg Kesterman. "You're not required to stay at home but you should really think twice about making that trip. In addition, we have a bunch of orders in place from the governor and director of health. ... We are asking you to follow all of those orders, including quarantine and isolation orders, and most importantly, the mask requirement."

Commission President Denise Driehaus points out the new component of this advisory is asking people to limit contact with others.

"You don't know who's got COVID-19," she says. "People are walking around asymptomatic so it's very challenging to know who's infected (and) who's not."

The county notes this is a recommendation only, with no new capacity for enforcement. Driehaus concedes that will upset some people.

"This commission does not have the authority to do anything beyond what we're doing here," she says.

You can read the full advisory below:

Health Advisory by WVXU News on Scribd

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.