COVID-19 cases are rising again in Northeast Ohio, and Summit County health officials are encouraging residents to consider wearing masks in public again.
Summit has moved to the CDC’s ‘medium’ COVID-19 risk level after remaining ‘low’ for several months, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Health officials suggest residents wear a mask if they have COVID-19 symptoms, as well as on public transportation and in indoor settings where social distancing is not possible, according to a Wednesday news release.
Portage and Medina counties are also at the medium level; Cuyahoga, Ashtabula and Lorain counties are in the high category, according to the CDC. The majority of the state remains in the low level.
The risk levels are determined by the percentages of new COVID-19 cases, hospital bed usage and COVID-19 admissions in a county, according to the CDC.
Summit County is reporting 228.65 cases per 100,000 residents, according to the news release. Additionally, the current COVID-19 admissions rate is 7.6 per 100,000, and 4 percent of inpatient beds in the county are being used by COVID-19 patients.
In addition to masking up in some situations, health officials recommend staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters and staying home and getting tested if you feel sick.
Those who are at a high risk for severe illness, such as immunocompromised individuals, should wear a mask indoors and in public, health officials said in the release.
Summit County residents are also encouraged to call the health department’s COVID-19 call line at (330) 926-5795 if they have any questions. The call line is staffed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Check your county’s COVID-19 risk level here.
The CDC recommendations for areas that have medium levels are:
- If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
The CDC recommends the following precautions when COVID-19 reaches the high level:
- Wear a mask indoors in public
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
