Governor DeWine’s May 21st Press Conference
Below are the updates from the May 21st press conference with Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted, and State Health Commissioner, Dr. Amy Acton. The next press conference is currently scheduled for Tuesday, May 26th.
Governor DeWine announced initial findings from his Minority Health Strike Force. The team was formed in April in response to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African Americans who make up 14 percent of Ohio’s population, but represent 26 percent of positive COVID-19 cases, 31 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations, and 17 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Ohio. The Minority Health Strike Force’s preliminary report will be available soon at coronavirus.ohio.gov. Final recommendations will be issued on June 11.
Examples of these recommendations include: establishing culturally appropriate and accessible COVID-19 exposure notification services for communities of color; expanding testing capacity and access for minorities and high-risk populations; using data to prioritize resources in the communities that have the highest need; developing and launching a statewide, culturally-sensitive outreach campaign that educates African Americans and communities of color on COVID-19, health disparities, and social determinants of health.