Given the state’s limited testing capacity, in which tests are reserved for the highest risk patients, Acton said there’d be no way to document those numbers conclusively. But Ohio would certainly see the impact at hospitals and intensive care units across the state.
For now, the virus’s slope continues its steady rise—867 total cases, 223 total hospitalizations and 15 total deaths as of Thursday afternoon—but Acton presented slides of new models created by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic and Ohio State University which showed that, if not for the state’s early aggressive actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Ohio could be at peak levels of infection today.
By physically distancing as much as possible, Acton said, Ohioans had likely reduced the impact on hospitals in the state by 50-75 percent.
“But we need to do more,” she said. “We are buying time. The further we spread out the infection, the more time hospitals have to equip themselves.”
Gov. DeWine said that Ohio must pursue a “big expansion” of hospital beds, suggesting that “nearly double” the current capacity would be prudent. Acton said additional capacity will become increasingly vital as the virus spreads and symptoms become more severe. Patients with COVID-19 can sometimes require stays as long as 20 days.
She likened the hospital capacity dynamic to a restaurant planning ahead for a busy night, and managers and servers trying to “flip tables” in an hour or an hour-and-a-half to accommodate as many customers as possible.
“What we’re dealing with is kind of like a long, four-course meal,” she said.
Acton also unveiled a statewide dashboard for COVID-19 data. In addition to the daily updates that the state has provided on its website, the dashboard makes available county-level and demographic data. It was assembled by Acton’s team of analysts in the state health department, whom she affectionately calls “The Force.”
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This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2020.
So the virus isnt spreading nearly as much as they thought. People are out and about at the parks and yet, she says were going to have a surge. Are they planning on kicking the 5g that they’ve been installing on thereby compromising the immune system and activating the virus?
Dr. Anton, I’m throwing the BS flag on this comment. Your own words said if we did nothing to curb the transmission. Why do you think you need to lie to use?
Mr. Governor, I am done listening to your daily briefings. I won’t accept such poor reporting from ANY elected official and his/her cabinet. Shame.
wow ^^
.@DrAmyActon: I know it is hard to understand #COVID19 since we cant see it, but we know that 1% of our population is carrying this virus today — thats over 100,000 people.
Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) March 12, 2020
This is what you said “we know”. And it will double every 6 days.
We should have 500,000 infected by now. Tens of thousands in the ER, and thousands dead.
Where are the cases? Were you wrong about the number or the morbidity? Just admit, you were wrong.
This isn’t over just yet,,I hope they were, and are wrong. But if they’re right,,we will be better off for following the rules. Wonder why Michigan has quite a few more cases than Ohio? Could it be they (Ohio) was correct in putting off voting. There’s just a lot we don’t know yet. Why not err on the side of caution,,,,,
Funny that the guy above worried about the 5g is commenting using a mobile device,,,,,5g?
Need to open up Ohio soon
Need to open up Ohio soon
8000/wk means 50-80 dead /wk. Nobody is talking about the relationship between smoking/pot smoking/vaping and COVID-19 deaths. An already compromised respiratory system is a leading predictor of fatalities. They called them coffin nails for over a century with good reason.
I invite you to listen to the remarks of Dr Debrah Birx Thursday, March 26th. She stated that there is NO
basis foe the calamity you are imposing on us. Please become better informed. We, the citizens of Ohio are many steps ahead of you on this. When day after day your numbers don’t add up you look foolish and we are no being well served.
Governor DeWine, please rethink your scare tactic policy.
@Kathryn,,,could it be by “imposing ” on us stopped the spread here in ohio,,,,at least for the zlip codes in cuyahoga county,,,you can see where those head the advice and where those that dont,,,,
every day this woman comes on with worse news; we’re not doing enough, day after day. Dr. Doom & Gloom
I think she comes on day after day with worse news because some aren’t doing enough,,,,,like the college kids in rocky river partying away,,,,our future,,,,
why don’t they release the details of the model. What data is feeding the model. What are the assumptions being made. I would like to know how confident they are in the predictions
At what point can business owners sue these people for issuing these orders and costing them their livelihood?
Nobody is going to your stupid businesses even if it was open, idiot. But hey, you keep praying to your golden cow.
Artful Dodger, why are you calling our businesses stupid? Many of us lost everything due to this unprecedented shutdown. What is the golden cow of expecting restitution for the damage the government has caused by their response to this issue?
They are not using the model that Dr. Deborah Birx is using which can be viewed at health data.org. In that model which is similar to the University of Washington, Ohio will see a total of almost 600 deaths and will have enough ICU beds and vents. If DeWine and Acton thought for a second we would need to use the IX Center and other sites why aren’t they joining Cuomo and others pleading for federal assistance? It’s common sense. And the way they save face is what they’ve started to say, Ohioans have done a great job of mitigation. And for the most part we have. Our mitigation started the same time as Michigan and they are in dire straits. I believe they are overinflating this to scare us into staying home which has made a difference. However our peak is supposed to start tomorrow and last until the middle of the month and I’m just not seeing us get to 100,000 cases
I couldn’t agree more. This has gone on long enough. The people of our state deserve better.
Why aren’t the reporters who show up each day asking the right questions?
How long is this going to go on?