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COVID-19 Updates
Last updated: May 21, 2021
As a partner in promoting public health, and ensuring the safety and well-being of Whitehall residents, the City of Whitehall is continually engaging with the State of Ohio and Franklin County Public Health as the situation surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves. Note that regular updates are made to this page, so please check back frequently.
Ohio Public Health Advisory System
Franklin County has been downgraded to a Level 3 (Red) Public Emergency for COVID-19. A Level 3 Health Alert indicates:
- Very high exposure and spread.
- That residents should limit activities as much as possible.
- That all current health orders must be followed including wearing a face covering, social distancing, limiting large group gatherings to no more than 10 individuals, staying home when sick, washing your hands frequently and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth as much as possible.
COVID-19 Vaccination Information
- Eligibility: Ohioans over the age of 12 are now eligible to get the vaccine. Check your eligibility here.
- Mass Vaccination Sites: The State is opening mass vaccination sites throughout Ohio. Learn more and register for an appointment here.
- Franklin County Public Health Vaccination Clinic: For those interested in receiving the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine through the clinic operated by Franklin County Public Health (FCPH), please stay tuned to the FCPH website for openings and scheduling information.
City Hall Now Reopened to the Public
City Hall reopened to the public in April, and with the Ohio Department of Health's second amended health order issued on May 14, health safety protocols have been adjusted for City facilities.
Before visiting a City facility (City Hall, the Police or Fire Station, etc.), please note that face coverings are required of all guests that are not fully vaccinated. A “fully vaccinated” individual is greater than two weeks past having a complete COVID-19 vaccine regime (one or two doses). This does not include individuals who have had the COVID-19 virus, but who have not completed a COVID-19 vaccine regime.
Impact on City Operations
- Mayor's Court
- Police and Fire
- safe station
- Building permits and plan review
- Council Meetings
- Parks & Recreation
Mayor's Court
Mayor’s Court will continue in-person at City Hall on Tuesdays, with mandatory text-to-check-in. Face coverings are mandatory for all non-vaccinated Mayor’s Court visitors.
MANDATORY: Text (740) 791-0883 with your first and last name and the last four digits of your Social Security Number to check-in
In an effort to maintain best practices for social distancing, Mayor’s Court has now implemented a mandatory text-to-check-in feature. When you arrive for court please text your first and last name and the last four digits of your social security number to (740) 791-0883 and you will receive a confirmation back stating that you have been checked in. Should the clerk require more information, they will reply as needed. When they are ready for you in court, you will receive a text message directing you to proceed through the main entrance and directly into the courtroom. You may also text any questions you may have for the Court office. There may be some delay in responses, so we thank you for your patience.
For more information on courts in Franklin County please reference the following websites:
Police and Fire Divisions
Our police officers, firefighters and EMTs are working 24/7 to keep our community safe during this public health crisis. While the public health situation is improving, residents may still notice some changes to in-person interactions with police and fire personnel. This may include personnel maintaining six-feet from residents, and asking residents to step outside of their homes if possible. Please remember to practice social distancing if you encounter safety personnel and when possible, please file police reports online. File a police report online here >>
While the fire and police stations are always open to the public, the following virtual services are available:
- File a Police Report
- Submit a Crime Tip
- Call with non-emergency police questions: (614) 237-6333
- Call with non-emergency fire questions: (614) 237-0831
Additionally, our emergency dispatchers are asking screening questions to identify if an individual is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Please answer the questions truthfully. No one will be denied services because of how they answer or because they may have COVID-19. The screening questions simply help our officers and EMTs know whether personal protective equipment, like face masks, are necessary.
SAFE Station
The Fire Division’s SAFE Station, serving those needing a safe, discreet pathway to drug addiction services, is still open. If you are able, please call ahead (614-572-6918) before coming to the Fire Station for screening purposes (although this is not required). Learn more >>
Building Permits and Plan Review
The Service Department, located inside City Hall, has officially reopened to the public to accept in-person building permit and plan review applications and payments. Before visiting, please consider if you can continue to conduct your business with the Service Department virtually.
- Call with questions: (847) 237-8612
- Download permit applications
- Submit permit applications and plans:
- Email your PDF applications to the Building Department
- Drop off paper applications in the City Hall Deposit Box (located next to front entrance to City Hall)
- Submit plans for review: Email your plans to the Building Department
City Council Meetings
Update: Due to updated public health guidance, the City Council Voting Meeting and City Council Committee Meetings will be physically open to the public again beginning June 8. All members of the public (vaccinated or not) will be required to wear a face covering. Until June 8, please continue engaging with these meetings online.
Until June 8, City Council Voting Meetings and City Council Committee meetings will continue to take place at City Hall, but will not be physically open to the public. Both meeting types will be live-streamed to the City’s Facebook page. View a list of upcoming meetings >>
For City Council Voting Meetings, in addition to being live-streamed, you may also watch the meeting on the City’s YouTube channel. Should anyone wish to submit a written message to be read during Poll Public (conducted during Voting Meetings Only), please email Clerk of Council Julie Ogg at julie.ogg@whitehall-oh.us by 5 p.m. on the Monday prior to the meeting. The message should still follow the rules of Poll Public - available here: https://www.whitehall-oh.us/356/Poll-Public-Rules. View the agenda (once available) online here: http://www.whitehall-oh.us/AgendaCenter/City-Council-1.
Parks and Recreation Programming
The City encourages anyone that may is sick, or that may have potentially been exposed to COVID-19, to voluntarily abstain from visiting our parks and recreational facilities, programs and special events.
Event and Facility Updates:
- General Programming and Events: Parks and Recreation is resuming a full events and programming schedule for the summer with appropriate COVID-19 adjustments as needed. For event and program details, please reference the online calendar or the Opportunity Guide.
- Shelter Rentals: Shelters in City parks will once again be available for rentals beginning the week of June 5, with online registration opening sometime during the week of May 24.
- Playgrounds:Playgrounds are open. Please take personal safety precautions to help keep you and your family safe. Parks & Recreation staff members will not be monitoring the park playgrounds for health compliance, which means community members are invited to use the park equipment at their own risk. Here are some ways we can help keep playgrounds safe as a community:
- Stay home if you are sick
- Sanitize your hands before and after play
- Maintain social distancing if you have not been fully vaccinated (Six foot minimum)
- Wear a mask or other face covering if you have not been fully vaccinated (Masks are not recommended for those under the age of two)
- Senior Center: In order to ensure the safety of Senior Center patrons and guests, the Senior Center will now be staffed by a part-time Active Living Coordinator. Club activities and active adult programming (for non-members) will resume in the coming weeks. Until that time, Parks and Recreation will continue to host “Parking Lot Bingo” every Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. from the Senior Center parking lot.
Reporting Complaints
As the Statewide Mask Order is in place, along with other continued safety guidelines, the City and Division of Police recognize that you may have questions about compliance, or may even want to report that your employer or another business is not fully following the order. Questions can be directed to the Ohio Department of Health by calling 1-833-4-ASK-ODH, and complaints can be filed with Franklin County Public Health here. Please do not call the Division of Police with these complaints, as the matter is being being handled by Franklin County Public Health.
Community Resources
We’re all in this together. The City recognizes that there are many in our community who may be immunocompromised, elderly, impoverished or otherwise unable to access food, medication and other resources during this crisis. Visit the COVID-19 Resource page for the following information:
- A form to request assistance
- Senior resources
- Student resources
- Unemployment application information
- Food banks
- A list of local restaurants carry-out/delivery options
- A list of local grocery stores, noting those that offer curbside pick-up and special senior hours