COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hospitals in Ohio are once again ready to receive patients for overnight surgeries.
During Tuesday’s COVID-19 press briefing, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine made the announcement regarding overnight surgeries. Due to technical issues, I did not hear DeWine make that statement as it happened, and asked a question that had already been answered during the question-and-answer portion of the briefing.
The question had been sent in by WCPO viewer Caryl Schawe, whose husband is in need of an overnight stay at the hospital for knee surgery. Even though the issue had already been addressed, Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton replied, encouraging Ohioans to go to the hospital if they need to and to not be afraid of going to the hospital.
Ben Asks a Question is a feature we started as a way to help give you a voice during Gov. Mike DeWine's daily press briefings. Since then, Ben has gotten hundreds of questions a day. If you'd like to ask a question, find us on Facebook and feel free to message us there, or send us an email at newsdesk@wcpo.com.
“I’ve given the go-ahead for hospitals that are ramping up now to do that,” said Acton. “And I really encourage everyone — I know a lot of people have put off things — please reach out, please get your primary care. Our hospitals have done a lot of adjustments and they’re very safe places, so I don’t want you to be afraid of reaching out for the help you need.”
Acton touched on another topic during Tuesday’s briefing as well. WCMH’s Adrienne Robbins asked what would have been my initial question — about how COVID-19 can spread in large protests like the ones we’ve seen around Ohio. Acton replied by reminding Ohioans to protest safely, with masks in mind.
“Certainly protests have never been, the first amendment has never been prohibited," she said. "And I think what we would just ask is that everyone would do it as safely as they can. I see lots of pictures of folks trying to do it safely. I think, once again, it’s asking us in this moment of unity … to help each other by, again, protecting the other people around you. So we’re asking that people do it as safely as they can. I don’t think we’ll know yet; it’ll be weeks before we know what impact this may be having.”
Gov. DeWine’s next press briefing is scheduled for Thursday, June 4.
