The three largest public safety agencies in Franklin County will no longer release the number of personnel who have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the agencies said Monday.
The Columbus Divisions of Fire and Police and the Franklin County sheriff’s office all cited consultations with legal counsel.
“It has been determined that the impact of COVID-19 on staffing numbers is considered part of our critical infrastructure, and therefore protected information,” the sheriff’s office said in a release.
Representatives of the police and fire divisions echoed the sheriff’s office stance.
As of Sunday, the fire division had eight firefighters who had tested positive for the coronavirus. Of those, six were recovering at home, and two had returned to work after they were no longer considered contagious.