In Putnam County, 'almost everybody knows somebody that's sick'

In Putnam County — where "almost everybody" knows someone who is sick right now — leaders are hoping the community's close-knit nature will help its residents come together to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The county recently launched a COVID Defense Team, aimed at raising awareness locally. Mike Klear, director of the Putnam County Office of Public Safety, said it's about people looking out for themselves — and others. Through the team's "My Why" campaign, Putnam County residents are encouraged to share why they're taking steps to help reduce the spread of the virus. Columbus Grove Boys Basketball Coach Chris Sautter, in a statement posted to the health department's Facebook page, for example, recalled sitting in a classroom on March 12, trying to console players after the suspension of the winter sports tournaments. "If I said I didn't cry with them, I'd be lying," he wrote. The team was 26-0 and never got to finish the season. Sautter wrote that he wants to ensure this doesn't happen again: "I want a season for every kid that loves sports. I want a season for every kid that needs sports." And, he wrote, nothing brings a community together quite like the success of one of its teams, so "I want a season for every community that bleeds their school colors." So, he said, wear masks, practice social distancing, stay home when sick, cancel parties, and quarantine if told to do so. "Do your part so that our athletes can do theirs," he wrote in the post which has since been shared over 900 times. Klear said EMS is responding to COVID-19 calls "every day, many times a day." And while said the staff are "still committed," he noted that when this pandemic arrived in March, no one thought we'd still be dealing with it in November. "It is a strain on us right now," Klear said. Putnam County has for many weeks been one of the highest in per capita cases of the virus in the state. With 308 cases over the past two weeks and a county population of 33,861, Putnam County had 909.60 cases per 100,000, in numbers updated by the Ohio Department of Health on Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines "high incidence" as 100 cases or more per 100,000 people in a two-week period. The Putnam County Health Department's most recent figures on Facebook, from Wednesday, indicate that 2,294 cases have been recorded since the pandemic began, and 148 residents have been hospitalized. Putnam County has no hospital, so residents are hospitalized in other communities. Forty-nine COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the county, as of Wednesday. Dr. Matt Owens is chief clinical officer at Mercy Health St. Rita's in Lima. The organization operates Putnam County's ambulatory care center, and St. Rita's has "a large number of patients" from Putnam County in its beds, he said. Owens said many of Mercy Health's staff live in Putnam County, and he hears from them "a strong desire to work with their communities" to try to slow the spread. Owens said health care workers are coming to work every day, putting their scrubs on, and going to work. "We know that they're fatigued," he said. "We know that this has been a really difficult year." Owens acknowledged that there is "a lot of fatigue" surrounding the virus. "It's hard," he said. "It's hard to press on with all the public health measures that we've encouraged." But amid this pandemic fatigue, people are seeking each other out, and large public gatherings can contribute to the spread of the virus — particularly if held indoors and without masks, he said. And Owens said if people go through the holiday season as if it's business as usual, "then we'll find ourselves in a more and more dire situation." He said Putnam County residents have a strong commitment to their neighbors, their friends and their families. "I've been able to witness how dedicated those communities are," he said. Owens said he hopes the desire to seek each other out is "something we can use as an advantage instead of a disadvantage." Putnam County Commissioner John Schlumbohm said "the sense of community" is what makes Putnam County strong — but may also be its downfall, as people want to be with friends or relatives. "I guess it's a double-edged sword," he said. Sheriff Brian Siefker said, "It's a close-knit community and we're all helping each other out." He said he hears often, for example, that a resident will drop off groceries on the porch of a friend or neighbor who has tested positive. "Almost everybody knows somebody that's sick," Siefker said, adding that several employees at the sheriff's office have been sick with coronavirus. And Becky Fruchey, executive director of the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce, said, "You're seeing people more personally touched by it." She said area businesses are "trying to do their part" by enforcing mask requirements and doing extra sanitizing, but many have employees who are sick or quarantined. Gov. Mike DeWine has been reaching out to leaders in Ohio's counties, beginning with the hardest hit. Schlumbohm said DeWine's Oct. 28 call to Putnam County was "very encouraging," and the governor asked what he could do at the state level to help. The health department reported on Facebook that, a day before the call, Health Commissioner Kim Rieman had sent a state request for assistance conducting contact tracing. DeWine responded by telling his staff to make this request their top priority. Putnam County Commissioner Vincent Schroeder said it's a balancing act between keeping things going and the need to be "very careful" to protect those in danger. "About everything you do is a risk," Schroeder said, adding those at highest risk should stay home. He said the goal is to mitigate the spread until the vaccine is available. "We are a work hard, play hard society," Commissioner Michael Lammers said. "We'll get through this." He added, "I'm certain we're going to get through this … and come out stronger in the end."