TOLEDO, Ohio — Editor's Note: The attached video is from Jan. 21, 2021.
Several recent COVID-19 cases in Lucas County have been associated with a SARS-COV-2 variant of concern, leaders with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department said Tuesday.
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) notified local health leaders that these cases were linked specifically to the B117 variant, first detected in the United Kingdom. According to the CDC, the B117 variant has shown evidence of increased transmissibility and a potential increase in disease severity.
Currently, there are 128 known cases of the B117 variant in Ohio. ODH leaders said they have been routinely conducting passive surveillance of collected laboratory samples from COVID-19 infected individuals to identify variant potential variant spread throughout Ohio.
At this time, ODH has not recommended any additional control measures. Everyone who lives, learns, works, or plays in the Lucas County community is asked to continue to be vigilant with current mitigation strategies including:
- Maintaining six feet of social distancing from individuals outside your household
- Proper use of a facial covering when in public or around individuals outside your household
- Staying home when not feeling well
- Avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces as much as possible
- Getting a COVID-19 vaccine when available to you
Vaccination is the best way to protect you and your family from infection and severe illness, representatives with TLCHD said Tuesday. All three vaccines currently available in Lucas County have demonstrated evidence of protection against variants including B117.
Starting on Monday, March 29, all Ohioans aged 16 and older will be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination.