Canceled. Postponed. Suspended.
Over and over again. One event after another. With a busy weekend approaching in the Upper Ohio Valley, those terms have been most prevalent involving sporting events, fundraisers, live performances, and school schedules across the region.
It’s all about “social distancing.”
“It’s all about limiting exposure,” explained Lou Vargo, director of the Ohio County Emergency Management Agency. “We know that it is a highly contagious virus and that it easily spreads from one person to another, so cancelling events that attract a lot of people is the best thing to do at this time.
“When the professional sports leagues began postponing games and tournaments, I think it got a lot of people’s attention,” he continued. “But it’s really about keeping as many people as possible safe right now.”
At 2:45 p.m., WTRF-TV7 reported that Belmont County EMA Director Dave Ivan has confirmed two cases of coronavirus COVID 19.
Schools Closed
Gov. Jim Justice announced this morning that all West Virginia schools will close indefinitely in order to keep the students, faculty, and staff safe from the coronavirus COVID 19.
“We have had 12 people tested in West Virginia and 11 of the tests came back negative, and there’s one that’s pending,” he said during the morning news conference. “But we know the monster is here. We just haven’t found it yet.”
Gov. Justice also cited the ages of many educators across the state,
and that he cannot ask those teachers to go to a “breeding ground.”
“Right now, we know that large gatherings are not a good idea,” Vargo said. “And our schools in this area have a lot of students all in one building, and that’s probably becoming a risky environment right now.
“We know that our young people are not at risk as much as the elderly, but that doesn’t mean the children can’t carry the virus,” he explained. “So, separating the children from those who are older is a good idea.”
Bishop Mark Brennan of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston announced today parochial schools would be closed beginning Monday. Here is Bishop Brennan’s letter to the West Virginia Catholic community.
Fluid Situation
On Wednesday, Bernie Dolan, the executive director of the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission, said state officials were paying close attention to all updated information concerning the coronavirus, but that the high school girls basketball tournament in Charleston would go on as planned.
On Thursday, however, the event was suspended after the first day of play, and the boys tournament was suspended one week before it was scheduled to begin.
“We went from ‘Everything is OK’ to ‘Hey, this might be for the best,’” Dolan explained. “The decision was made by the governor, state officials, and me because it was obvious that it was the safest thing to do. No one seems to know how this is going to play out, so taking these precautions was the best decision that could have been made at this time.
“But we suspended the tournaments because if we had canceled, then we’d be done,” he said. “By suspending the tournaments, we feel we still have a chance that they could take place, but we’re not going to wait forever. We just have to wait and see what happens next and what direction we get from the state, but with the closing of the schools, it doesn’t look good.”
Major League Sports
Everything from the PGA’s Master Tournament to the Boston Marathon have been postponed, and both March Madness tourneys have been canceled, and big-league baseball’s opening day has been delayed by two weeks. Similar examples in the Wheeling area include the decision made by the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley to cancel its Night at the Races that was scheduled for this evening at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stephen Smith will conduct a virtual forum this evening instead of meeting with people in person at the First State Capitol Building in downtown Wheeling.
“And I believe we’ll continue to see more cancelations and schedules changed until people are confident that this pandemic is under control,” Vargo said. “I’m sure there are a lot of people working on that right now, but it depends on how long it takes.
“We have seen things similar to this before, but this is the first time I can recall when so much has been shutdown as a precaution,” he said. “But if that’s what is best to keep as many people as possible healthy, then that’s what we have to do.”
Tired of the Talk?
Many local residents have expressed exhaustion with all the news reports concerning the coronavirus COVID 19, but with President Trump declaring a national emergency, the coverage isn’t likely to end anytime soon.
While Vargo understands the frustration, he maintains it is important to at least pay attention to the proactive measures local, state, and federal officials have suggested as ways to slow the spread of the virus.
“It is all we are hearing about on the news, and with that news cycle now being 24 hours a day, the coverage is constant,” the EMA director said. “But it’s because we’re learning new information every day, and sometimes by the hour, and it is important to get that updated information out to the public. As far as around here, I expect it to get worse before it gets better.
“I know locally, we’re working very hard to keep the public as informed as possible, and we utilize the media outlets like The Watchdog to get that information out there,” he added. “Right now, it’s all about flattening that curve as far as the number of cases in the country, and in this area. We are all getting tired of dealing with it, but right now it’s all about common sense. If nothing else sinks in, just use common sense to keep you and your loved ones safe.”
