While Ohio may be beginning the process of reopening its economy on May 1, Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is warning the state's battle with the coronavirus (COVID-19) is far from over.
As a result, the state is building what she described as an "expansive recovery network" for its continued dealings with the virus.
"We don't want to just flatten this curve. We want to stay ahead of the curve," Acton said. "We are going to have to live with this virus for at least 18 months, which is why we're building an expansive recovery network."
Acton said as the state moves forward, it will focus its efforts on a five-part plan that includes the following steps:
- Social distancing
- Testing
- Contact tracing
- Isolation and quarantine
- Treatment
Acton said that she is hopeful that the response network will ultimately be successful in helping slow the spread of the coronavirus.
As of Tuesday, Ohio has had 13,725 positive coronavirus cases, including 2,779 hospitalizations, 838 ICU admissions and 557 deaths. Dating back to the discovery of Ohio's first positive coronavirus case on March 9, DeWine has put a number of measures in place to encourage physical distancing, including a stay-at-home order since March 23.