Gov. Mike Dewine Declares a State of Emergency for Ohio

This Emergency Preparedness Step enables the State of Ohio to mobilize necessary resources.

On March 9, 2020, Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) announced that three Ohioans have tested positive for COVID19, the disease formerly known as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV.”

Upon making the announcement, the governor also declared a state of emergency for Ohio. The declaration is a key step in emergency preparedness that enables the state to mobilize resources and authorizes state departments and agencies to prepare to respond to this public health emergency as needed. See the executive order here*.

The NEOMED Community’s safety and wellness is our primary concern and NEOMED follows CDC guidelines while also working closely with ODH. The University’s Incident Management Team, which has protocols in place for emergency planning and response, including pandemic preparedness, has been in constant communication to ensure guidelines are up-to-date for this most recent public health concern. A well-respected University virologist advises the team’s preparedness.

In conjunction with our Business Continuity Planning efforts, NEOMED will be soon be launching a website that concentrates resources for students and employees to continue learning, teaching and working remotely ― if decisions are made by the University to minimize the circumstances in which individuals may come in close physical contact with others.

Further discussions are also underway regarding University and College events as well as those being conducted in the NEW Center.

We will continue to keep you updated. You may also visit neomed.edu/coronavirus for the latest.

Please contact Mechelle Gehle-Wann, director for research and institutional safety compliance at MGW@neomed.edu if you have any questions or concerns.