Paulding Co. officials create Paulding County Coronavirus Defense Team

A group of 14 people will make up Paulding County's Coronavirus Defense Team.

Those from public health, local schools, the mayor's office, and the emergency management agency are coming together with the goal to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Right now -- covid cases continue to rise in ohio...its prompting one county in particular to come together to form a group.its mission... slowing the spread.fox 55's caleb saylor is live in paulding with more about what the role of the group will be.

The paulding county coronavirus defense team came together today for the first time to talk about the worsening covid-19 situation in the county and how they plan to stop it, but they say they need the public's help so they can help save lives and 3 keep people healthy.

A group of fourteen people will make up paulding county's new coronavirus defense team.

Those from public health, local schools, the mayor's office, and the emergency management agency are coming together with the goal to slow the spread of covid-19.

Bill edwards with the paulding county health department says over time, people became covid-fatigued and have only recently have residents been 3 more strict about masking up "when the mask order was first in effect, we saw a great compliance, and then the county citizens kind of got weary and started wearing the masks less and less.

When we reached the level 3 red alert level, the next day i saw a lot more with the mask wearing, which is great."

That's the message they want to encourage.

Wear masks, practice social distancing and good hand hygiene.

The group will work with local schools, businesses, and churches to help with slowing the spread and paulding county ema director edward bohn has been very clear, the task force is not set up to take away individuals rights or to interfere with someone's religious beliefs.

"we have to be more cognizant of what is going on and that, certainly, gathering of people and making sure if they are, they're wearing masks, social distancing, and have the proper sanitizing issues in hand."

The county has seen cases rise by 500% over the last month according to bone and paulding county hospital ceo ron goedde says 50% of patients they see on a daily basis are because of covid "the hospital is busier, we're using more ppe than ever.

They ema department has been helping us alot to get the equipment we need to care for our patients, but if we don't get this a little bit under control right now, the resources will be spread very thin going forward here."

Bohn believes people didn't know what to believe as the recent election has sent different messages regarding covid-19.

Their goal is to have clear messages going forward, and with thanksgiving coming up on thursday, their first message is this "keep your crew to a few."

3 3 good evening i'm chris mullooly thanks for joining us.

Tonight --