- To serve as adviser to the state
- Dr Lance Himes becomes interim director
Ohio Director of Health, Dr Amy Acton who has been in the forefront of managing the coronavirus pandemic in the state has resigned, saying it was time to step down.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine who announced the resignation, “Let me say how very grateful I am for Dr. Acton’s selfless and tireless service to the people of Ohio as our Department of Health Director. No one is more passionate about public health than Dr. Amy Acton. She always puts the health and safety of Ohioans first and foremost.”
“When I was elected Governor, I knew that I wanted a Director of Health with a strong public health background, someone who had a passion for public health, and someone who could talk to Ohio citizens in a candid way about health issues.”
Dr Acton had received threats to her life for certain directives she has promoted such as the stay safe protocols that included the state being shutdown in April. Some protested in front of her home.
In a reply to a question, Dr Acton pledged to be “more determined to continue to serve” Ohio in her new capacity. She was appointed as Director of Health in February 2019.
Meanwhile, Governor Mike DeWine has appointed “Lance Himes, who served as a past ODH Interim Director, will again assume the duties of Interim Director at the Ohio Department of Health.”
On testing, Governor DeWine said, “anyone who wants a COVID19 test can now receive a test – even if you are low-risk or not showing symptoms. You can find our interactive map of testing locations here: https://bit.ly/2Y5Lw5C”
“We’re encouraging anyone that wants a test to talk to their health care provider or contact a testing location to arrange a test. By understanding who is sick, whether they are showing symptoms or not, we are able to better prevent the spread of the COVID19.”
He said “Pop-up testing across Ohio will begin Friday, June 12, 2020 at the Columbus locations listed here. These popups will also happen soon in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Xenia, Portsmouth, Columbiana, Akron, and elsewhere.”
On places of worship, he said, “although we never closed churches, synagogues, mosques, or other places of worship during this pandemic, we know that most of them stopped holding their traditional in-person services and found other ways to worship, such as broadcasting online.”
“Just as we did with industry, outdoor activities, and entertainment, we have put together some suggested best practices for places of worship to keep in mind as they reopen. These are just suggestions, not requirements.”
“Some of these suggested best practices include having families sit socially-distant from other families; encouraging members to wear face coverings; and eliminating the touching of common surfaces. This guidance can be found at http://coronavirus.ohio.gov. “
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