COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is warning Ohioans that the Labor Day holiday weekend could be a risky time in the fight against coronavirus.
DeWine says it’s a concern shared by Vice President Pence, whom he talked to this week.
“There is grave concern about Labor Day coming up. … As we gather with family and friends we must remember that whenever there is more activity, we’re going to see more cases,” said the governor during his Tuesday press conference.
He cited Fourth of July statistics as a cautionary tale.
“Remember, in the weeks after July 4th, we averaged close to 1,500 cases per day – we believe in large part because of Independence Day gatherings. Please stay safe this weekend,” warned the state’s top official.
Examples of community spread on the July Fourth weekend include a case of a family and friend sharing a 40-minute car ride to a lake. The friend was later diagnosed with COVID-19, but not before a chain of infection that led to at least two people being treated in the ICU and several business temporarily closing.
The governor also cited several other examples of community spread, including a case in Trumbull County, where three family members invited a neighbor over for a card game. The neighbor got sick the next day. The three family members have also tested positive – and two of them have passed it on to their spouses.
In Putnam County, a large golf outing was held August 21. There are now at least ten cases associated with the event.
“We can get together, we can have fun, but we have to be very careful,” the governor said.