Franklin County Franklin County Public Health

Public Health 280 East Broad Street · Columbus, Ohio · 43215-4562

Updated Recommendation for K-12 Schools

August 28, 2020

Since making recommendations on July 29 and the subsequent statement issued August 3, Franklin
County Public Health (FCPH) has continued to closely monitor the COVID-19 community conditions
as it considers adjusting school reopening recommendations. We have maintained an ongoing
and active dialogue with our public and private schools. The initial FCPH guidance described any
change to its recommendation would involve a review of several factors:

 Decline in cases- ideally four weeks

 Positivity rates below 10% but preferably closer to 5%
 Improvement in the risk level as defined by the state advisory system (i.e. orange)

We are pleased to report that there has been improvement in all three factors. Over the last five
weeks, the number of new daily cases in the FCPH jurisdiction has declined to less than 50 per day.
Effective August 27, Franklin County has been designated Level 2 (orange) pursuant to the Ohio
Public Health Advisory System. Finally, data available to the health department indicates local
positivity rates range between 5-6% which is also a significant improvement.

Updated Recommendations- Hybrid/Blended Learning

As a result of these improvements across our community, FCPH is now recommending schools
consider moving forward implementing and transitioning to a hybrid or blended learning model.
We understand from a public health perspective, the importance of in-person learning not only for
the obvious educational benefits, but also the social and emotional well-being of students, their
safety, nutrition and other support needs. To that end FCPH remains in active partnership with other
county government and non-profit agencies to assure our children and families have the support
they need.

We also recommend the school districts continue to offer a virtual option for vulnerable student
populations or for parents/guardians who prefer that their child attend school in a remote fashion.

These recommendations are not board of health orders or mandates. School districts should
balance public health recommendations with the needs of their students, faculty, staff and families
and determine the best solutions for their school community. FCPH will be working with schools to
adhere to the state’s new order regarding sports, extracurricular activities, reporting and protocols
for testing and symptom assessments.

Parents, Families and the Community

We encourage parents to have their own plans in place to conduct daily health checks and to
keep their children home if they are sick. Be prepared to follow public health guidelines if your child
is ill or if they are identified as a close contact of a confirmed case.

Phone (614) 525-3160 · Fax (614) 525-6672 · www.myfcph.org

Review and practice proper hand washing techniques at home, especially before and after
eating, sneezing, coughing, and adjusting a cloth face covering. Talk to your child about
precautions to take at school. Assure they understand they will always need to wear their face
covering (unless they are exempt). Let them know they will need to: wash and sanitize their hands
more often; keep physical distance from other students; and avoid sharing objects with other
students, including water bottles, devices, writing instruments, and books. If your child rides a bus,
plan for your child to wear a cloth face covering on the bus and talk to your child about the
importance of following bus rules and any spaced seating rules. All of these steps will help assure
we can keep our schools open with a hybrid or blended model.

FCPH asks everyone in our community to continue to do their part so that our children can remain
in the classroom to the safest and longest extent possible. Stay vigilant in taking the essential steps
to continue to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in our community. We know these actions make a
difference. We can’t let up. The threat of the virus remains significant. Together we can continue to
move the needle towards yellow. Continue to wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands and
stay home if you are sick.

Stay Informed and Engaged

Moving forward, FCPH recognizes the state may determine Franklin County to be designated Red
or Level 3 as it is updated weekly. FCPH will be closely monitoring local community conditions and
will reevaluate future recommendations during the first week of October which coincides with the
beginning of its flu surveillance activities.

Follow us on our social media platforms and visit covid-19.myfcph.org for up-to-date information on
COVID-19 in our community.

Joe Mazzola, MPA

Franklin County Health Commissioner