Drug overdose deaths decrease in Clermont County

Graph showing the number of overdose fatalities in Clermont County each year from 2014 to 2022

BATAVIA, OH – Drug overdose deaths decreased nearly 30 percent in Clermont County in 2022. After a six-year high of 71 drug-related overdose deaths in 2021, there were 50* deaths in Clermont County in 2022, according to the 2022 Overdose Fatality Review published by Clermont County Public Health. (*The data from the coroner’s office is not yet finalized and may change pending further investigations).

The report uses data from the Clermont County Coroner’s Office, autopsy reports, toxicology reports, and other online databases to detect county-wide trends in drug-related deaths.

“We are encouraged to see fewer overdose deaths last year, but the presence of fentanyl in our community is still a top concern,” said Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit.

Illicit and highly potent fentanyl was present in 78 percent of the toxicology reports in 2022.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approximately 100 times more powerful than morphine. Continued trends have shown an increase in fentanyl, often mixed in with other drugs.

Nesbit credits the work of the Clermont County Addiction and Recovery Partnership with helping to reduce the number of deaths in the county. The partnership aims to minimize substance misuse, distribution, addiction, overdose, and deaths in Clermont County.

“Thanks to the partnership, many first responder agencies in the county now carry naloxone and can administer it at the scene of an overdose,” said Nesbit. “Without naloxone, overdose deaths may have been much higher.”

Clermont County Public Health distributed 962 doses of naloxone in 2022. Anyone that wants naloxone can visit naloxone.ohio.gov or call Clermont County Public Health at 513-735-8400.

To read the full 2022 Overdose Fatality Review, Click Here.

Back to School Immunizations

Clermont County Public Health is partnering with several local school districts to offer routine vaccines for school-aged children. CCPH will offer the following vaccines at each of the clinics.

  • Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) – required for 7th and 12th grade
  • Meningococcal ACWY required for 7th – 10th grade and 12th grade
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV) recommended
  • Meningococcal B (recommended for ages 16-18 years)
  • COVID-19 

Parents or guardians can make appointments by calling Clermont County Public Health at 513-735-8400. Appointments at each location are limited, and walk-ins will not be accepted. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian present to be vaccinated.

August 17
Felicity-Franklin High School
3-5 p.m.

August 24
Bethel-Tate Middle School
3-5 p.m.

August 31
Milford Junior High School
3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

September 7
Batavia Middle School
3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

September 14
Goshen High School
3-5 p.m.

September 21
New Richmond Middle School
3-5 p.m.

 

Public Notice of Board of Health Meeting Change

July 28, 2022

The monthly Clermont County Board of Health meeting will take place on Thursday, August 18, 2022, instead of the regularly scheduled August 10. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Permit Central Building at 2275 Bauer Road, Batavia, OH 45103.

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Board of Health Member Wanted

Clermont County Public Health is seeking a Board of Health (BOH) member. Members must be a resident of Clermont County and available to attend monthly Board of Health meetings on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are held at 2275 Bauer Rd. in Batavia.

All BOH members must obtain 2.0 hours of continuing education credits annually. BOH members may not be township trustees, village mayors, or administrators. They also may not serve on a local board of education. All board members serve a five-year term, beginning April 1. If you’d like more information or are interested in serving, call 513-732-7499 or email ccph@clermontcountyohio.gov.

Clermont County Public Health offers childhood COVID-19 vaccine clinics

Nov. 5, 2021

BATAVIA, OH – Clermont County Public Health is holding COVID-19 childhood vaccine clinics at local schools. Each clinic will offer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which is authorized for children five and older.  

The dates for each of the vaccine clinics administered by CCPH are:

  • Nov. 12 – Batavia Elementary 5 – 8 p.m.
  • Nov. 15 – Spaulding Elementary (Goshen) 4 – 7 p.m.
  • Nov. 16 – Milford High School 3:30 – 6:30 p.m.
  • Nov. 17 – William Bick Primary School (Bethel) 4:30 – 7 p.m.
  • Nov. 18 – New Richmond Middle School 4 – 7 p.m.
  • Nov. 19 – Felicity-Franklin High School 4 – 7 p.m.
  • Nov. 22 – Clermont Northeastern High School 9 a.m. – noon

A second vaccine clinic will be held at each site 21 days after the first dose to complete the series.

Parents can schedule appointments at these school clinics by using the ArmorVax app or by calling 513-735-8500. Parents or guardians must accompany their children. 

“All of our schools have been wonderful partners throughout this pandemic, and we are thankful that they are giving us space to use for each of these clinics,” said Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit. “We’re eager to see many of our youngest schoolchildren finally able to get vaccinated.”

Parents can also schedule appointments at Public Health’s offices using ArmorVax, or check with their child’s pediatrician to see if they’re offering the vaccine.

For a complete list of COVID-19 vaccine providers in Clermont County, visit www.ccphohio.org/covid-19-vaccine-info/

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COVID-19 Vaccine booster doses available

October 5, 2021

Following the recent recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control, Clermont County Public Health is now offering booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The following populations are eligible to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine:

  • People 65 years and older
  • Residents in long-term care settings
  • People with certain medical conditions including, but not limited to:
    • Cancer
    • Kidney, lung, or heart disease
    • Down syndrome
    • HIV infection
    • Obesity
    • Pregnancy
    • Solid-organ or stem cell transplant recipient
  • People 18 and older who may be at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of their job, or living in an institutional setting

Only people that received two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine may get a booster. A person must wait at least six months after the second dose of the vaccine before getting a booster shot. You do not need to return to the same provider where you received your first two doses. But, you must bring your COVID-19 vaccination card with you.

“We have many more vaccine providers now than we did in the spring, so we encourage everyone to visit our website to find the provider that is most convenient for them,” said Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit.

All COVID-19 vaccine providers in Clermont County are on Clermont County Public Health’s website at https://ccphohio.org/covid-19-vaccine-info/

Clermont County Public Health is offering vaccine appointments at its office Tuesdays – Fridays. You can make an appointment with the ArmorVax mobile app or online at www.ArmorVax.com. Anyone needing help scheduling an appointment may call the Clermont County Emergency Management Agency at 513-735-8500.

For more information on COVID-19 booster doses, visit the Ohio Department of Health’s website at https://bit.ly/BoosterFAQ

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Need a COVID-19 test? Don’t go to the hospital.

September 1, 2021

With the recent increase in COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant, the demand for testing has also increased. If you or a family member is showing symptoms of COVID-19 don’t go to the emergency room looking for a test.

The Southwest Ohio Region is seeing the highest number of hospitalized patients due to COVID-19 since February. As of August 30, there were 403 COVID-19 patients in Southwest Ohio (according to the Ohio Hospital Association, the highest daily count since February, when vaccines were scarce.  

“Emergency rooms should be reserved for patients who need emergency care or who have a severe illness,” said Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit. “Anyone with mild symptoms who needs a test should find one of the many testing locations in the county,” said Nesbit.

HealthSource of Ohio is the federally qualified health center in Clermont County. They offer testing at six locations in Clermont County.

HealthSource of Ohio patients can call their regular primary care office to schedule an appointment.

  • Loveland 513-575-1444
  • Batavia 513-732-0870
  • New Richmond 513-553-3114
  • Williamsburg: 513-536-5005
  • Eastgate: 513-753-2820
  • West Clermont: 513-732-5082

Anyone who is not currently a HealthSource of Ohio patient can call 513-732-5086 to schedule an appointment for testing. Visit www.healthsourceofohio.org for more information.

Most urgent cares in Clermont County also offer COVID-19 testing, as well as Kroger’s Little Clinic in Milford and Amelia.

At-home tests can be picked up at the Clermont Family YMCA by calling 513-724-9622.

For a full list of testing sites in Clermont County, visit: https://bit.ly/COVIDtestCC

The Ohio Department of Health has a complete list of COVID-19 testing locations in the state of Ohio on its website at: https://bit.ly/COVIDTestOH

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Back to school immunizations

July 26, 2021

Clermont County Public Health is partnering with several local school districts to offer routine vaccines for school-aged children. CCPH will offer the following vaccines at each of the clinics.

  • Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap) – required for 7th and 12th grade
  • Meningococcal ACWY required for 7th – 10th grade and 12th grade
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV) recommended
  • Meningococcal B (recommended for ages 16-18 years)
  • COVID-19 (recommended for ages 12 and up)

Parents or guardians can make appointments by calling Clermont County Public Health at 513-735-8400. Appointments at each location are limited, and walk-ins will not be accepted. Anyone under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian present to be vaccinated.

August 11
Batavia High School
3:30 – 6:30 p.m.

August 12
Goshen High School
2:30 – 5:30 p.m.

August 16
Milford High School
2-5 p.m.

August 17
Bethel-Tate High School
2 – 5 p.m.

August 19
Felicity-Franklin High School
3:30-6:30 p.m.

August 25
New Richmond Middle School
3-6 p.m.

Students must bring a copy of their immunization record and their insurance card. Most insurances are accepted, but nobody will be turned away due to the inability to pay.

Recreational Public Health Advisory at Harsha Lake

July 12, 2021

A recreational public health advisory has been issued for Harsha Lake at East Fork State Park due to a harmful algal bloom (HAB). The bloom is caused by a type of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria.

The blue-green algae are capable of producing toxins known as microcystin. A recreational advisory is issued if the toxins reach a level between above six parts per billion.

Under a recreational public health advisory, swimming and wading are not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women and people with existing medical conditions.

People with pets are also advised to avoid pet contact with the water. If they get in the water during an algae bloom, they can ingest the toxins when they lick their fur.

HABs can produce toxic chemicals which may make people and pets sick depending upon the amount and type of exposure. This is especially true for the very young, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems. Types of exposure include swallowing HABs-contaminated water, skin contact, and inhaling aerosolized water droplets. HABs toxins can cause a rash, hives, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and more severe symptoms at higher levels of exposure.

Avoid water that:

  • Looks like spilled paint
  • Has surface scums, mats or films
  • Is discolored or has colored streaks
  • Has green globs floating below the surface.

For the latest sampling results, visit the Ohio Beachguard website.

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CCPH teaming up with local businesses to offer COVID vaccines

May 6, 2021

BATAVIA – Clermont County Public Health is partnering with two local businesses to provide the COVID-19 vaccine.  RJ Cinema Distillery and Taproom in Union Township and the Little Miami Brewing Company in Milford will each host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. The dates for the vaccine clinics are:

“We’ve seen a decline in numbers at our mass vaccination site, so we’re going to where the people are,” said Health Commissioner Julianne Nesbit. “We’re hoping we can reach people who want the vaccine if it’s more convenient for them.”

CCPH had been vaccinating as many as 750 people per day at its site on the campus of UC Clermont College. In recent weeks, the demand has decreased, leaving many appointments unfilled.

“We hope this will be a good start to our next phase in the vaccination campaign,” said Nesbit. “We’re shifting our focus from one large-scale site, to many smaller sites throughout the county.”

As an incentive, Little Miami Brewing Company will be offering a discount to anyone who gets vaccinated at the brewery on May 22.

RJ Cinema will offer free movie passes to anyone who gets vaccinated at their site on May 13.

Appointments for each of the clinics can be found by using the ArmorVax app or by scheduling online at www.armorvax.com, but walk-ins will also be accepted.

CCPH will return to each location three weeks later to give the second dose shots of the Pfizer vaccine.

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