FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Contact: Tammy Diener, tammy.diener@cantonohio.gov, 330-438-4307
MEDIA ADVISORY: COVID-19
CANTON, OHIO – This Press Release is in follow up to the announcement today of a positive test result for coronavirus (COVID-19) in a resident of Stark County. This Release is issued by Thomas M. Bernabei, Mayor of Canton.
We ask the public to remain calm. COVID-19 is a matter of serious public health concern. The identification of one case in Canton brings it close to home. But it is not cause for panic.
Please follow all advice being provided by our Public Health organizations -- local, state and national. They are the experts. I have great confidence in our public health system.
In particular, I ask that everyone follow all guidance concerning prevention and restricting the potential for spread of the virus.
The City of Canton is taking all necessary precautions and following all health protocols. We are emphasizing education, information and prevention.
No emergency safety services will be affected – Police, Fire, EMS, Dispatch 911.
No essential public services -- water, sewer, sanitation pickup, traffic signalization, will be interrupted.
We are doing contingency planning and may make adjustments in day to operations for non-essential services to encourage more transactions by email and to lessen face to face transactions for routine city business, for example, paying utility bills, permitting (Building, Health, WRF industrial) and so forth.
Consistent with guidance from the Governor’s office, we may restrict public events. The purpose of restricting public gatherings and to a lesser extent, any gatherings of people, is to slow the spread of the virus, to permit public health to react and plan, to allow for more focused treatment of fewer cases and to spread the timeline to allow better treatment options, development of vaccines, onset of warm weather, etc.
We are updating the City’s website: cantonohio.gov to create a specialized City of Canton COVID-19 page to provide updated information and notifications as necessary and to provide a link to various public health resources.
You may access these links for the latest updated information:
City of Canton Health Department: cantonhealth.org
Ohio Health Department: coronavirus.ohio.gov
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): cdc.gov/coronavirus
People with questions about COVID-19 can call the Ohio Department of Health COVIC-19 Call Center, 7 days a week from 9am – 8pm at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).
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