Dr. Butterfield Discusses COVID at EMA

MUSKINGUM COUNTY, Ohio-Dr. Jack Butterfield held his monthly address concerning the COVID-19 pandemic today at the Muskingum County EMA. 

The focus of his remarks were on the growing strain on local hospitals. Butterfield says that the strain is as bad as it’s ever been and only getting worse. 

“The more cases you have the more likely you are to have people at high risk get very sick. We are seeing that, we have more patients in the hospital with COVID-19 here in Zanesville than we ever have before. 70 to start today. Yesterday it was 61, the day before it was 53. It’s going up exponentially, and we’ve had at least one death everyday this week from COVID-19.”, Butterfield said of Genesis Hospital.

Mask wearing and social distancing need to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Butterfield says that the current trajectory should lead people to having modified holidays.

“I’m not saying don’t have holiday gatherings, I’m saying don’t have holiday gatherings that involve anyone other than your immediate household. I think virtual holiday gatherings are the way to go this year. It’s not fun, it’s not what we want, but it can be life saving. The last thing we want is to gather with grandma and grandpa and have them get sick two weeks from now.”, Butterfield warned of the upcoming holidays.

Muskingum County is currently classified as a red county.