Ohio plans coronavirus vaccinations for 65+, school staffff

Gov. MikeDeWine onThursday released the vaccination schedule for Phase 1B, a group that includes Ohioans ages 65 and older, K-12 school staffff and those with severe medical issues.

Ohioans ages 80 and olderwill be able to start receiving coronavirus vaccines on Jan. 19, with the state extending the age group eligible to receive the vaccine by fifive years each week.

Under Phase 1B an estimated 2,211,000 Ohioans will be eligible for the vaccine.

Those eligible in Phase 1B can start receiving vaccines on the following days:

■ Jan. 19: Ohioans 80 andolder ■ Jan. 25: Ohioans 75andolder; people with severemedical conditions

■ Feb. 1: Ohioans 70 and older; K-12 staffff and personnel

■ Feb. 8: Ohioans 65 and older Ohioans ages 65 and olderwho are in long-term care facilities will continue to be vaccinated through those facilities.

Those living outside longterm care facilities will receive vaccines from physicians, local health departments, hospitals, federally-qualififiedhealthcenters, in- home health service providers, as well as some retail pharmacies, DeWine said.

Approximately 1,700 providers have registered to distribute the vaccine, the governor said. On Monday, the statewill host a webinar releasing outlines andexpectations, as well as instructions for distribution.

Healthcare providerswho have been selected to distribute the vaccinewill then be notifified and informed of how many shots they will receive on Tuesday.

Local Emergency Management Agencies are being asked to hold press conference next Wednesd a y and Thursdayto announce where vaccinations will be available in their county and how people can receive them, DeWine said.

“Some providers may require appointments, some may hold drive-up clinics or take walk-ins, but we expect every provider to clearly state how they will administer vaccinations to eligible individuals,” the governor said.

More details about how Ohioans with severe medical disorders and school staffff can be vaccinated will be released at a later day, DeWine said.

This week the state is sending forms to K-12 school superintendents asking them to agree to go back to in-person learning or a hybrid by March 1.

“That is a condition of getting the vaccine,” DeWine said. “We will be asking schools to send us the number of staffff they believewill choose to take the vaccination and indicate if they are already working with partners for vaccine administration.”

The state will launch a tool at coronavirus.ohio.gov showingOhioanswhere vaccines are being distributed and towhat eligible groups.

“Vaccines fromthemanufacturer are usuallydelivered on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each week,” DeWine said.“We anticipate those providers that receive their vaccines on Monday, Jan. 18, will start distributing on Tuesday.”

WithOhio typically receiving about 100,000 vaccines aweek andvaccinations continuing for Phase 1A, it is likely that it will take some time to get through Phase 1B, DeWine explained.

However, the governor noted that Ohio will likely start receiving more vaccinations each week as vaccinations continue.

As of Thursday, 221,302 people inOhiohave received the fifirst dose of the vaccine, accordingtotheOhioDepartment of Health. Both the Moderna andPfifizer vaccines are two doses.

Ohio plans to start distributing second doses tomorrow.

More than 10,000 daily cases of coronavirus were reported Thursday in Ohio, themost reportedsince Dec. 17.

OnbothDec. 26 andJan. 2, coronavirus totals included cases fromtheperviousdays.

There have been 753,068 total cases reported in Ohio.

Hospitalizations increased by 365 for a total of 40,469.

AsofThursday, therewere 4,180 coronavirus patients in Ohio hospitals, according to ODH, with 1,165 in southwest Ohio. It’s the second day in a row that the region’s COVID-19 inpatient total decreased.

Coronavirus patients account for16.08% of hospital beds insouthwest Ohio, with 28.27% (2,049 beds) open.

Of the region’s ICU beds, 270 are occupied by COVID19 patients (23.68%) and 221 beds (19.39%) are available.

Ohio added 27 ICU admissions to its total Thursday, bringing it to 6,092.

Ninety-four deaths were reported for a total of 9,462.