TOLEDO, Ohio — "The reason we're doing the things we're doing is because we have the potential to become Italy," said Governor Mike DeWine (R) Ohio in a news conference, Wednesday afternoon.
The governor announced Ohio has a fourth case of coronavirus now. It's also the first confirmed case of someone who has not traveled, but got the virus from someone in the community.
It's why the governor made sweeping recommendations to help slow the spread.
"This is the threshold where our healthcare system becomes overwhelmed," said Ohio's Director of Health, Dr. Amy Acton as she showed a graph portraying a pandemic's impact on the healthcare system.
Acton said they expect 1% of the population has coronavirus, which is more than 100,000 people in Ohio. She said that community spread is a game-changer.
The sharp curve in the graph above shows what could happen if no measures are taken to slow the spread of the virus. The lower curve is the goal.
"What we're trying to do is save as many lives as possible," said Toledo Lucas County Health Commissioner, Eric Zgodzinski.
This week, the governor recommended Ohio colleges go to online learning and that all indoor sporting events in the state go without spectators.
Zgodzinski said it's to flatten out that curve and protect the most vulnerable.
"One, not have that big spike in cases over a short period of time because what that does, is it allows that disease to get out to those individuals we don't want to see get infected. We don't want to see anyone get infected, but it's those elderly and immuno-compromised," said Zgodzinski.
The health commissioner said there is still a lot we don't know about this new coronavirus. A vaccine is still many months away. We do know that children seem to be less impacted, but they are still carriers and could spread the virus to those at higher risk.
Zgodzinski said in the immediate future, the message remains.
"I don't think we're going to change up the message much else than those mass gatherings concerns. Staying healthy. Doing the same things that we've been telling people to do. It really is up to each individual to wash their hands. Keep themselves healthy," he said.
