Lakewood Has 21-35 Coronavirus Cases, Councilman Says

LAKEWOOD, OH — Ohio may be in the midst of a surge in new coronavirus cases and Lakewood officials are hoping to keep the local COVID-19 count low. Lakewood has in the range of 21 to 35 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

In his regular column, posted to Patch, Councilperson Jason Shachner said the county board of health confirmed that community spread is still a threat in Lakewood. He urged residents to continue aggressively washing their hands and to maintain their distance from others.

Shachner said one local business, the Phoenix Vape Lounge, was cited for violating the state's stay-at-home order. He said that is the only business that has been cited in Lakewood.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-reaching impacts beyond stressing hospitals and threatening the lives of some residents. It has also caused a surge in narcotics use.

"Last week, the police department reported to the [Coronavirus] Task Force that there has been an uptick in overdoses. Everyone handles these periods of uncertainty differently and I encourage you to check up on your love ones regularly," Shachner said.

On April 13, Lakewood police began investigating the overdose death of a 38-year-old man. Police told Patch heroin and hydrocodone may have played a role in the overdose.

Overdose deaths had begun to slow considerably in Lakewood prior to COVID-19 prompting a stay-at-home order, a Lakewood police spokesperson said, echoing the sentiments expressed to Shachner.

In the age of COVID-19, Ohio health officials have repeatedly said people battling mental health issues — like drug addiction — are at heightened risk. To try and expand the reach of mental health professionals, the state has loosened its rules around telehealth — in this case, counseling delivered over the phone or through the computer.

In Cuyahoga County, the Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS)Board offered the following resources:

• You can call Cuyahoga County's 24-Hour Warmline at 440-886-5950 to talk though things with a peer.
• You can text "4hope" to 741741, the Crisis Text Line.
• If you are in crisis: Please call the 24-hour Suicide Prevention, Mental Health/Addiction Crisis, Information and Referral Hotline at 216-623-6888.

Many group meetings for people struggling with addiction have been moved online. The ADAMHS Board offers links to all of those groups through their website. Ohioans can also download the Recovery app for more resources.