GALION — For the first time since Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System was put into place, Crawford County has gone from a Level 1 to a Level 2 ranking.

Level 1 is the least dangerous. Level 4 is the most dangerous.

• Level 1 (Yellow) — Public emergency, active exposure and spread.
• Level 2 (Orange) — Public emergency, increased exposure and spread.
• Level 3 (Red) — Public emergency, very high exposure and spread.
• Level 4 (Purple) — Public emergency, severe exposure and spread.

School district that have announced district-wide protocols for students and staff based on the Public Health Advisory System will change they way they operated.

GALION PROTOCOLS WILL CHANGE FOR AT LEAST NEXT WEEK

According to a post on the district’s Facebook page: Governor Mike DeWine announced during his press conference on September 24 that Crawford County has been placed at Level 2 for the week of September 28-October 2.

Galion City Schools will be operating at Level 2, “4 of 5 Plan”.

Students will be in the classroom Monday (9/28), Tuesday (9/29), Thursday, (10/1), and Friday (10/2).

On Wednesday (9/30), students will be engaged in educational activities at home. All assignments for Wednesday, September 30 will be given to students before they leave on Tuesday, September 29.

Primary and intermediate school students will receive paperwork assignments, while middle and high school students will be working from their iPads. Parents are urged to contact your child’s respective school building with questions.

The Facebook also said that additional details and information will be shared as needed.

By being at Level 2, the Ohio Health Department says there is an increased exposure and spread in Crawford County. Residents are urged to exercise a high degree of caution and to follow all current health orders.

Why did this happen?

Crawford County set off two triggers.

• There was a sustained increase in new cases. A county is flagged if there is an increasing trend of at least five days in overall cases by the onset ate. It reflects the disease spread in the population.
• There was also a sustained increase in Emergency Department (ED) visits for COVID-like illness. A county is flagged if the proportion of cases that are not in a congregate setting goes over 50 percent in at least one of the last three weeks. This is used as an indicator of great risk of community spread.

Richland and Marion County also are at Level 2. Morrow and Knox are at Level 1, and Ashland County is at Level 3.