Coronavirus: Cease operation orders will begin Thursday for non-compliant businesses

Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jeff Cooper said that the agency will start issuing cease operation orders to businesses not complying with orders aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus.

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Local law enforcement will be with county workers as the cease operation orders are given.

He said the county has sent out letters to about 360 businesses about staying compliant.

“That’s phenomenal,” he said. Adding that he isn’t sure if there’s any other health department in the state that has visited that many businesses to keep its citizens safe.

Montgomery County will help with funding for senior citizens services, homeless solutions and food equity to protect vulnerable populations during the pandemic, said Commissioner Judy Dodge.

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The United Way saw an increase in requests for food from 43 the first week of March to 245 in the third week, according to Tracy Sibbing, vice president of community impact at the United Way of Greater Dayton.

One demographic that saw a particularly large increase is people age 18 to 40.

Sibbing said she believe the jump was a result of state orders that resulted in many businesses closing, especially in the service industry.

Area hospitals are looking at ways they can further collaborate to help prepare for a surge in coronavirus cases, said Sarah Hackenbracht, president and CEO of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association.

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Hospitals are working to maximize space as much as possible as well as utilize other buildings to add hospital beds.

Hackenbracht said plans also include making sure necessary medical equipment is ready as well as the health care workforce.

GDAHA has about 60 ventilators as part of its emergency response cache, Hackenbracht said, but that isn’t as much as the area would like to see going into a surge in coronavrius.

Hospitals have their own supply of ventilators, too, Hackenbracht noted.

As of Wednesday, the Ohio Department of Health is reporting 41 cases in Montgomery County with one death.

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