DeWine: Convention centers will serve as secondary health care sites

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said convention centers and other large spaces throughout the state will be used as potential healthcare support facilities as the state builds out its health care capacity in anticipation of a surge of coronavirus cases. DeWine said the SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Case Western Reserve University's Health Education Campus in Cleveland, the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati and Dayton and Columbus convention centers could be used as health centers -- much like the Cobo Center in Detroit and the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York are currently being used. "Our goal is to double the capacity of our hospitals," DeWine said during his daily coronavirus update on Monday. "What you are doing every single day is buying us time." As of Monday afternoon, there are 4,450 confirmed cases in Ohio, with 1,214 hospitalizations, including 371 intensive care admissions. There are a total of 142 deaths related to coronavirus in Ohio. In Lorain County, there are 117 confirmed cases, leading to 33 hospitalizations and three deaths. The state's coronavirus cases include seven inmates at the Elkton Federal Prison in Columbiana County, including three fatalities, and a dozen other inmates that are showing symptoms. DeWine said since it's a federal prison, he has no authority to close it, but he's received a formal request and will be sending at least 26 Ohio National Guard members -- all with medical training -- to assist in the prison's infirmary. He said that medical staffing at the prison is at 50 percent of what it should be, and troops will be there for seven to 10 days until further federal assistance arrive. "This is a medical mission only," he said. DeWine also noted that the state is adding personal protective equipment. "If we can find it in the marketplace, we'll buy it," he said. "If we can't, we'll make it." DeWine said that at least 1,400 Ohio manufacturers have responded to the state's call to manufacture PPE, and said the state's Manufacturing Alliance has been in touch with all of them. DeWine also said JobsOhio -- the controversial jobs program started by his predecessor as governor, John Kasich -- has also worked to shore up the supply chain for PPE. He noted that the new regulations go into effect tonight, and added that snowbirds returning from warmer climates need to self-quarantine for at least two weeks. Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton said that social distancing has had an impact, but it's important to stay the course. "If we keep doing this and keep doing this right, we can get out of this sooner," she said. "We're saving lives. "The second we let up, it unravels."