COLUMBUS — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the creation of a “Testing Strike Team” led by two former Ohio governors in order to increase COVID-19 testing capacity.
The team will be led by former Governor Richard Celeste and former Governor Bob Taft, who as Gov. DeWine says, bring a lot of experience and knowledge of Ohio.
"They will use their skills, networks, contacts, and life experiences to help us in the critical mission to get testing supplies and expand testing in Ohio," DeWine said.
Both governors will work with leaders from business, academic and public health sectors to be a part of the effort to help Ohio source critical testing items such as reagents.
DeWine said on Sunday he spoke to the FDA commissioner to approve a new type of reagent so testing can be expanded in the state. One of those is from Thermo Fisher, which is one of the companies that provides machines to test the samples.
“This approval will greatly expand our state’s ability to increase our testing capacity. We are working with other companies to make additional reagent kits available so we can continue to ramp up testing in Ohio,” said Dewine.
Ohio Department of Aging Director Ursel McElroy said the Minority Health Strike Force will review underlying health conditions, social determinants of health, economic conditions and racism to address the serious impact COVID-19 on the African American community.
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The CDC and the Ohio Department of Health are now recommending the use of cloth face coverings in public to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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