“That’s a big drop for us,” Clark County health commissioner Charles Patterson said. “We’re going in the right direction.”
Patterson, joined by Mercy Health - Springfield Chief Medical Officer Dr. Paul Buchanan, updated the community Friday on the state of COVID-19 during the health district’s weekly livestream.
The chief medical officer said that the hospital is seeing fewer COVID-19 patients require ventilators, and its COVID-19 volume has also decreased, with the number of COVID patients this week falling from 104 to 65. Occupancy at Springfield Regional Medical Center has also went down following months of meeting or exceeding capacity.
“It feels like we’re finally coming out of the tunnel,” Buchanan said. “It’s now a big relief… Everything is looking a lot better.”
He said the area’s hospital has “benefited greatly” from Ohio National Guard’s assistance. Two teams – a medical team and a group for non-medical staff – were deployed to the hospital in January as a part of Gov. Mike DeWine’s order to deploy soldiers across the state to help with COVID-19 response.
“We’re not so overly taxed, overwhelmed by the situation,” he said. “Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief, and we’re hoping it continues.”
The health district completed 1,619 COVID-19 tests in Clark County in January, and the tests had a positivity rate of 44.8%, Patterson said. People interested in being tested at the health district’s COVID-19 testing center, located at 2501 E. High St., can contact the health district at 937-717-2436 to schedule an appointment.
As of Friday, roughly 50% of Clark County’s population has completed its vaccine series, according to ODH.
The Clark County Combined Health District COVID-19 Vaccination Center in Springfield is offering vaccinations. Those seeking a dose can call 937-717-2439 to schedule an appointment.
By the Numbers:
50.1: Percentage of Clark County residents who have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series
34,066: Total number of coronavirus cases reported in Clark County
488: Total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Clark County
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