“The pandemic has impacted so many aspects of our lives, leading to job loss, school closure, social isolation and fear, often with a far greater impact on communities of color and people with lower incomes,” said Dr. O’Dell Owens, president and CEO of Interact for Health.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
According to the survey, nine out of 10 adults are wearing masks indoors, and more than seven out of 10 are wearing masks outdoors. Also, nearly 9 out of 10 are using hand sanitizer and maintaining social distances of at least six feet, and nearly all surveyed are washing hands frequently.
However, less than 60 percent of adults in the region follow all five recommendations of frequent hand-washing, wearing makes indoors and outdoors, using hand sanitizer, and maintaining social distancing.
The survey included people in southeast Indiana counties, nine northern Kentucky counties and eight southwest Ohio counties, including Butler and Warren counties.
Cases statewide and in southwest Ohio have been declining in recent weeks, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine did not renew the statewide curfew that expired at noon Thursday because of the declining numbers.
“Doctors will say it’s very important to continue to be doing what we’ve been doing,” DeWine said during his Thursday virtual press conference. “Let’s continue to get the vaccine into our arms as quick as we can, but at the same time we’ve got to continue to wear our masks, we got to continue to keep the distancing.”
More than 934,742 total COVID-19 cases have occurred in Ohio, with the 21-day reported case average at 3,846, a number that has been declining. There were 1,799 COVID-positive patients in Ohio hospitals, 369 of whom are in Greater Cincinnati hospitals.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
“Recovery from COVID-19 should benefit all of us, but to get there, we all need to be vigilant in wearing masks, washing hands, and when possible, avoiding contact with people outside your household,” Owens said. “And, we should get vaccinated when it’s available to us. In doing so, we will protect our families, friends and neighbors from this dangerous and deadly virus.”
FACTS & FIGURES
- More than 9 in 10 (96%) frequently wash their hands.
- Nine in 10 (90%) wear masks indoors.
- About 9 in 10 (89%) use hand sanitizer.
- About 9 in 10 (89%) maintain social distancing.
- About 7 in 10 (73%) wear masks outdoors.
- More than half of adults in the region (58%) follow all five recommendations.
Source: Interact for Health
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