Health agency responds to comments by Cross, Webb

In response to comments made by Rep. Jon Cross and Kenton Mayor Lynn Webb, the Kenton-Hardin Health Department issued this statement Friday.
“In light of recent events in our community, it is necessary to explain proper procedures regarding the Ohio Department of Health orders and the enforcement of such orders on the local level.
“Throughout the pandemic, Director Amy Acton of the Ohio Department of Health has issued a number of different public health orders. ORC 3701.56 mandates the Kenton-Hardin Health Department, as a general health district, to enforce those orders issued by Director Acton and that statute is as follows:
“‘Boards of health of a general or city health district, health authorities and officials, officers of state institutions, police officers, sheriffs, constables, and other officers and employees of the state or any county, city, or township, shall enforce quarantine and isolation orders, and the rules the department of health adopts.’
“Furthermore, pursuant to ORC 3701.57, The Kenton-Hardin Health Department, as a general health district, is authorized to seek injunctive relief as follows:
“‘The director of health, the board of health of a general or city health district, or any person charged with enforcing the rules of the department of health as provided in section 3701.56 of the Revised Code may petition the court of common pleas for injunctive or other appropriate relief requiring any person violating a rule adopted by or any order issued by the director of health under this chapter to comply with such rule or order. The court of common pleas of the county in which the offense is alleged to be occurring may grant such injunctive or other appropriate relief as the equities of the case require.’
“The Kenton-Hardin Health Department understands that the citizens of our community may not agree with the orders issued by Dr. Acton, however it is still the duty of every citizen to abide by those orders as you would any other law. The health and safety of our Hardin County citizens is our major concern. There have been many documented cases of individuals sick because of COVID-19. To date Hardin County has 8 deaths attributed to COVID-19. Therefore, to protect the health and safety of our community the Kenton-Hardin Health Department is enforcing orders imposed by the Ohio Department of Health, as the statute compels us to do.
“Many requests have been made to the Kenton-Hardin Health Department to release the zip codes of COVID-19 positive cases. This identifier in a small rural area like our own would violate HIPAA state and federal laws. The Kenton-Hardin Health Department is not at liberty to release this information.
“We recognize our state representative’s request to meet with the Kenton-Hardin Health Department’s governing board. The health board must meet and comply with the Open Meetings Act. Therefore, we are still, as previously extended, inviting Representative Cross and any other public officials to come speak at our regularly scheduled monthly meeting on June 23, 2020 at 5 p.m.”