Be a leader — stay home, local leaders say

YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor Jamael Tito Brown is urging city residents to stay home in order to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19.

"We need everyone to shelter in place. This has not come down as an order. That is a plea from us," Brown said. "These are not easy times for us. These are not convenient times. When we come out the other side of this, we want to realize we did our part."

Brown was joined by U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, and other local health and government leaders for an update on the area's coronavirus response.

That local coalition has begun identifying and coordinating area resources to counteract the strain on social services and an expected surge of demand for medical treatment.

"We're asking — do your part. Be a leader. It's not a foregone conclusion that this is going to end up terrible. We have an opportunity to bend the curve a little bit," Ryan said. "Every single person in this community can make a difference."

Ryan discussed work happening now to create a safety net for businesses and their workers who will be affected by the "huge economic fallout" projected for the region.

Those temporarily unemployed by virus-related closures are being urged to apply for now-expedited unemployment benefits at unemployment.ohio.gov. Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said Thursday the state received about 111,000 new unemployment claims between Monday and Wednesday.

Dr. James Kravec, Mercy Health's chief clinical officer, reiterated that testing availability for the virus remains limited and is currently only available at Mercy hospitals and emergency rooms, and only for the most ill or at risk.

Though it's been reported county health departments in the area don't have coronavirus testing kits on-hand — leading to confusion about the availability of testing in the region — Kravec explained Thursday testing is performed by healthcare facilities like Mercy, not county health departments. He assured residents should not be concerned about testing availability.

Though some, but not all, health practice sites may be able to test patient samples for the presence of the virus, they cannot perform the throat swabs needed to collect those samples, he added.

Elsewhere in the county:

• Mahoning County officials on Thursday declared a state of emergency, which gives department heads the ability to take proactive steps to prepare for the virus outbreak to worsen, said Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti. Availability of many county services, such as the courts and Department of Job and Family Services, has been restricted this week. For the latest information, visit the county's COVID-19 alerts page here.

• Youngstown Health Commissioner Erin Bishop said Thursday officials may begin revoking food licenses for city social establishments like bars and restaurants that have reportedly been ignoring state shutdown orders. The city may also shut off their water service, Brown said. "Socializing is over," Brown said. "We take this very seriously and we will exercise all those options."

• Youngstown Fire Department Chief Barry Finley has offered up fire trucks to deliver food packages prepared by the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, Bishop said Thursday. Currently, Youngstown City School District is also running school buses on 36 routes to deliver bagged breakfast and lunches to students, she said.

• The National Guard has mobilized in Ohio, but they'll be carrying groceries rather than guns, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday. About 20 reservists are in Mahoning County now, assisting Second Harvest Food Bank of the Mahoning Valley with distributing some of its thousands of pounds of food on-hand to those unable to leave their homes due to the virus, said Rimedio-Righetti.

• Personal protective equipment is being conserved for those who must be exposed to the virus, such as healthcare workers and first responders, Kravec said Thursday. The Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency is charged with distributing that equipment but is seeking donations from any institution or medical facility that has a surplus. To arrange a donation, email DonatePPE@mahoningcountyoh.gov.

• At 4 p.m. Thursday, the Youngstown Fire Department restricted public access to all fire stations, including the main fire station. There will be no fire inspections performed on any buildings. On Wednesday, city administrators also closed city hall to the public, restricting access to essential employees only. Brown said Thursday city utility payments have also been halted.

• Mercy Health is performing more medical visits online using telehealth, Kravec said. As reiterated by Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, those who feel they're developing symptoms of COVID-19 — including sore throat, cough, fever or shortness of breath — should reach their doctor by phone, or online. Those who develop high fevers or extreme shortness of breath should immediately go to their nearest emergency room, Kravec said.

• DeWine on Wednesday issued an order canceling all non-essential or elective surgeries in the state, in order to reallocate medical resources toward the most-serious coronavirus cases. In further efforts to conserve equipment and personnel, Kravec said Mercy Health is delaying screening mammograms that can identify new breast cancer cases; though the provider will continue to conduct mammography to diagnose changes in confirmed breast cancer cases.

This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 4:33 AM with the headline "Be a leader — stay home, local leaders say."