posted January 26, 2022 09:33 PM            

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BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio —
The Butler County sheriff said his opinions on COVID-19 have changed.

In a recent Facebook live, Sheriff Richard Jones said as cases rise, people can't let COVID-19 fatigue get the best of them.

He said it's important to wash your hands often, stay away from large crowds and do your part to stop the spread.

"I know we all have fatigue, but we have to get through this and right now in Butler County, it's off the hook. My attitude has changed immensely. I've had three employees in the sheriff's office in the last few months die of COVID," Jones said.

Jones brought on Dr. Anthony Abdullah, Medical Director at Butler County Jail, to advise best practices to stop the spread.

"We are seeing a number of cases in the emergency department with 80 to 90 percent being unvaccinated," Abdullah said.

He added that departments are overwhelmed, sometimes having to transport patients to other hospitals.

Jones said in 2020, 80 employees have COVID-19, in 2021 they had 80 employees give or take, and in 2022, the office has over 60 employees less than a month into the year.

"It's bad right now," Jones said.

The sheriff encouraged people to avoid large gatherings and be cautious if they choose not to.

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