Change in COVID health advisory will not impact school opening date

Brookfield school Supt. Toby Gibson said today’s raising in Trumbull County of the Ohio Public Health Advisory Alert System from orange to red on Aug. 20 will not affect the start of school on Aug. 27.
Red means there is a very high risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the community.
However, the increase from orange on the advisory system “is a direct result of two outbreaks that occurred within a seven-day period at two long-term care facilities,” according to the Trumbull County Combined Health Department.
Despite the outbreaks, the county’s number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has actually decreased in the last two weeks, the health department said.
The health department said community spread is not increasing, and the risk to exposure has not changed. The current strategy of reopening schools and holding fall sports remains in place, the health department said.
Residents should remain vigilant by staying home as much as possible, avoiding large gatherings, practicing social distancing, keeping hands clean and away from the face, and wearing facial coverings when in public, the health department said.