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ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- Ohio University Eastern is the first local institution to halt in-person interactions as officials across the Buckeye State scramble to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Public universities including Ohio University at Athens and all its branch campuses, Miami University, Ohio State University, the University of Akron, the University of Toledo, and Kent State University announced Tuesday that in-person classes are canceled for the remainder of the month, with instruction instead being performed online. Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University and Otterbein University were private schools that made the same decision. The Jewish Federation of Cleveland said a staff member was one of the three people in Ohio diagnosed with coronavirus so far; it is closing its education center for two weeks.
Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis released a letter to the university community Tuesday suspending in-person instruction at all campuses and locations through at least March 30.
He also wrote that students who are away on spring break should return to their homes and not to the university's residence halls or other campus facilities. Those who need to return to OU to retrieve belongings or for other reasons can email housing@ohio.edu or call 740-593-4090 for assistance.
"No cases of coronavirus have been reported at any Ohio University campus or location, and we continue to believe the risk of transmission on our campuses is low at this time," Nellis states. "However, as this outbreak is becoming more widespread in the United States -- including three cases in the State of Ohio, which has declared a state of emergency -- Ohio University is taking every precaution to ensure the health and safety of our communities and the public at large."
Following guidance from state and local departments of public health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nellis said OU, including OUE, is preparing to offer telecommuting opportunities for staff and suspending all university-sponsored travel until further notice.
All planned university events, except athletics, may be postponed or moved to alternate formats until March 30. The university is working with the NCAA and the MAC and will provide additional guidance about athletic events.
Nellis added, "This situation is evolving daily, and all guidelines are subject to change as necessary. … Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we continue to evaluate and respond to the rapidly changing and unprecedented situation."
In Steubenville, the leadership team at Eastern Gateway Community College is expected to meet today concerning the college's response to the spread of the coronavirus. Michael Geoghegan, the community college's interim president, joined his colleagues and Gov. Mike DeWine in Columbus Tuesday to discuss the state's response to COVID-19.
Geoghegan plans to meet with the college leadership team today "to operationalize the governor's recommendation in a way that prioritizes health and safety and addresses the needs of students in hands-on workforce development programs that cannot be offered online." All online classes will continue as currently scheduled.
At the elementary and high school levels, the Union Local School District is canceling classes Friday to allow staff an opportunity to make plans to respond appropriately and prepare to provide online instruction if the schools are required to close as the virus spreads.
"In the event school would be required to close, it is our desire to be fully prepared to continue to educate our students from their individual residences … ," Superintendent Ben Porter wrote in a letter to the district community. "It is unknown if we will need to close the district in the future, but there is no planned closure at this time."
The Martins Ferry City School District Board of Education held its regular monthly meeting Tuesday and discussed plans to respond to COVID-19. Officials said the staff is prepared to offer online instruction if the schools are closed. The district -- like other local school systems -- is working closely with the Belmont County and state health departments, the East Central Ohio Educational Service Center and the Ohio Department of Education. Several districts, including Barnesville, Bellaire and St. Clairsville have posted information on the websites advising parents and community members about prevention of the virus and sharing CDC and state recommendations.
DeWine is recommending that fans be kept away from all indoor sporting events. The state is home to the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers and the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, among others, and is hosting a number of high school and collegiate tournaments this month. The first games of the NCAA men's tournament -- the First Four -- are scheduled for next week in Dayton. First-round games are also set to be played in Cleveland on March 20 and 22. The NCAA released a statement three hours after DeWine's announcement saying it "continues to assess how COVID-19 impacts the conduct or our tournaments and events."
The Ohio State High School Athletic Association said it will comply and have "limited spectators" at upcoming state tournament games.
Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden both canceled rallies scheduled in Cleveland Tuesday night. The governor has also canceled visitations at the state's adult and youth prisons, and has encouraged state employees to work from home when feasible.
"The decisions we make as individuals in the next few days, the next several weeks, will really determine how many lives will be lost in Ohio. It will also determine how long this is going to last," DeWine said.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Tuesday that 128 polling locations will be moved out of nursing homes for the March 17 primary. He also suggested people vote by mail if possible and ordered Ohio's boards of elections to make curbside drop-off available for absentee ballots on Election Day. LaRose said he's working with boards of elections on best practices for cleaning voting machines and making sure elections officials have enough supplies.
The Weirton Festival of Nations has been canceled for this year, according to an announcement made by the event's planning committee Tuesday morning. The festival, which was in its 12th year, was set to take place March 21.
"Unfortunately, the committee had to make this decision due to concerns regarding the spread of coronavirus and CDC's recommendation to avoid large gatherings," the statement indicated.
The Festival of Nations traditionally features music, dancing and food from a variety of cultures around the world and is organized under the auspices of the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center. The committee plans for the festival to return March 20, 2021.
Among public events that so far have been canceled or postponed in response to the coronavirus are the Ohio Valley Business Conference, which had been scheduled for today at Eastern Gateway Community College, and the next two monthly meetings of the Jefferson County Safety Council, which are administered through the Ohio Department of Workers' Compensation and held at the community college.
Although no one has tested positive in West Virginia, the state has established a hotline to answer questions about coronavirus at 800-887-4304.
The Ohio Department of Health also has established a COVID-19 call center to answer questions and concerns from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at 833-427-5634.
The new coronavirus, which originated in China in December, usually results only in mild or moderate respiratory symptoms and fever for healthy people. In older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov.