CLEVELAND — Some new projection models -- like this one from MetroHealth -- are now suggesting Ohio's peak may have significantly lower coronavirus infections than originally expected.
Health experts say it's because the stay-at-home efforts and physical distancing strategies appear to be working.
With this promising outlook, however, health officials don't want people to think it's OK to start loosening the safety precautions.
“Please stay adherent to these recommendations," Dr. Heidi Gullett said Wednesday morning during a coronavirus press conference with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. "We, too, would love everything to come back to normal as soon as possible, but if we do that too quickly, we will have a resurgence of infections. We can’t afford that for anyone in our community."
Dr. Gullet said it's important to note that the modeling projections are taking into account the continued practice of physical distancing and stay-at-home precautions.
"All of those things in the models say that we’re going to continue to do this for now. We don’t want people to see those models and think this is going to be over in a week or two or three or two months or whatever model you saw. ... We can’t let up. We will let you know when it’s safe to do so.”
She repeatedly urged the importance of following the orders.
“Please, please, please adhere to the social distancing, the stay-at-home orders. Every single act you take as an individual is saving somebody else from getting infected now.”
Currently, Gov. Mike DeWine's stay-at-home order is in effect throughout Ohio until May 1.
MORE COVERAGE:
- RELATED: 3News' Monica Robins: MetroHealth projections suggest Ohio’s COVID-19 peak could be ‘significantly lower’ than expected
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