LMHA COVID-19 ACTION PLAN

COVID-19: Lucas Metropolitan Housing Action Plan:The

Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH) is closely monitoring the progress of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as it continues to spread. LMH is taking precautions to help minimize the amount of people affected and help slow the threat of the virus following the guidelines and recommendations from the Toledo- Lucas County Health Department, the Ohio Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The experts expect COVID19 cases to continue to grow as the virus spreads and the number of tests performed increases. As of Sunday March 15, 2020, from the Ohio Department of Health, there are 37 confirmed Coronavirus Cases, 361 persons under investigation, and 140 negatives reported in Ohio. The cumulative number of individuals under health supervision is 333.

To track the progress on the cases reported in Ohio, please refer to the following link: coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19

Considering the most recent information, LMH is taking action to ensure the health and safety of our staff, our clients, visiting partners and the communities we serve. This action plan is consistent with the actions taken by the local government and in a larger scale, by the State. We are preparing our staff and our communitiesto collaborate with the joint efforts LMH, and our community partners are taking against the COVID-19.

National Emergency Declared
President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency on Friday March 13, 2020 to help the country combat the rapidly spreading coronavirus - a move he says will empower his administration to waive certain laws and regulations and will free up to $50 billion to help fight the pandemic.

The President has said he will be ordering every state to set up emergency operation centers to help stem the spread of the disease, and announced that he was empowering the secretary of Health and Human Services to waive certain laws and regulations to ensure the virus can be contained and patients treated.

Among other things, the President said that waiving certain laws and regulations could allow for easier admission to nursing homes and end limits on the length of hospital stays and the number of beds available. The President also stated there were plans to allow "drive thru" virus tests.

What is going on in our community?
State-Wide:
The State of Ohio has declared a state of emergency in response. The Governor and Director of Health have ordered a ban on all mass gatherings over 50 people (indoor or outdoor) in the State of Ohio. The Governor has issued an order to indefinitely close gyms, fitness centers, recreation centers, bowling alleys, indoor water parks, movie theaters, and trampoline parks across the state. Bars and restaurants have been closed to eat-in service and can only operate to-go services. The Governor and Director of Health have also ordered the closing of all colleges and universities through March 30, 2020. All K-12 schools are ordered closed effective, Monday, March 16, 2020 through April 3, 2020, at which time it will be re-evaluated. The school closure order does not apply to Ohio's childcare system, such as daycare centers and home-based childcare providers.

Visitation to state psychiatric hospitals by outside visitors are prohibited.

Visitors to nursing homes are limited to one visitor per day per resident.

Lucas County:
Lucas Metropolitan Housing has joined a county wide effort, to include the following partners:

1. Municipalities, townships, independent governmental boards, and other local governmental organizations to include courts and the offices of independently elected officials within Lucas County.
   
   
2. Chamber of Commerce; all local school districts as well as private and charterschools; community colleges and universities; non-profit organizations that are located within or serve Lucas County.
   
   
3. Health care organization to include public, private and non-profit hospitals, medical facilities, behavioral health, nursing homes, long-term care facilities providers and organizations that serve these organizations and populations that are located within or serve Lucas County.

All organizations, including the Lucas Metropolitan Housing will operate within the Unified Incident Command Structure established.

John McGuire, LMH's Director of Security Operations is appointed as Lucas Metropolitan Housing's liaison with the Emergency Operations Center.