DeWine attends vaccine clinic in Miami Co.
PIQUA — Some employees may soon be able to get COVID-19 vaccines at their place of work, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said at a vaccine clinic in Piqua on Saturday. DeWine made an appearance at the clinic with his wife, Fran.
DeWine said more details will be announced next week.
The DeWines have been to several clinics around the state to see how the sites are working and talk to people at the clinics.
The clinic was a joint effort between Miami County Public Health and the Piqua Health Department. Miami County Health Commissioner Dennis R. Propes said about 300 people were vaccinated at the clinic Saturday.
DeWine said the state was “in a race” between the COVID-19 variants that have caused outbreaks in Michigan and West Virginia.
“Sadly, our numbers have plateaued,” DeWine said. “What our fear is, of course, is that they start going up again.”
Ohio reported 2,742 daily cases of coronavirus on Friday, its highest number of daily cases in the last 21 days, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The last time the state reported more than 2,000 daily cases was March 18. About 1,700 daily cases were reported on Saturday.
DeWine said Ohioans have two tools to fight against the virus: masks and vaccines.
However, DeWine said he was hopeful about the summer months and events like baseball games and county fairs.
“There’s really going to be very little this summer that people cannot do,” DeWine said.
The governor said he had seen a lot of young people at the Saturday clinic which he called, “a great thing.” People over the age of 18 will be eligible for available COVID19 vaccines starting Monday.
Ages 16 and older are approved specifically for the Pfizer vaccine, which the FDA granted emergency use authorization for ages 16 and up.
DeWine said ads targeted at the rural population around the state will be running and there will be more ads in the next few weeks to encourage people to get the vaccine.
He encouraged people who might be hesitant about getting a vaccine to talk to their own doctors. DeWine said those who have gotten the vaccine should talk to their friends and family about it, noting a lot of the people he’s talked to at vaccine clinics around the state are there because a family member has already gotten the vaccine.
He noted some people in Ohio have decided not to get the shot and there is little anyone can do to change those minds. But he said many people who have not yet gotten vaccinated against COVID19 have put it off or their age group wasn’t yet eligible.
DeWine said the state is also working to get homebound people the vaccine.
More doses will be coming to the state next week and more mass vaccination sites will open.
DeWine said the state is also working with universities to give out vaccines. He said more details will be announced next week.
Miami County has vaccinated about 25% of its population as of Saturday, according to the Ohio Department of Health. About 66% of those over 60 years old and up — a population vulnerable to COVID-19 — have been vaccinated in Miami County, DeWine said.
About 3.2 million people have been vaccinated in Ohio as of Saturday.
Barry Gertner got his shot at the vaccine clinic in Piqua on Saturday. He said he was one of the last people in his family to get one who was eligible. He said it was “very painless” and the experience was “fantastic.”
COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available by calling 937-573-3461 or at https:// www.miamicountyhealth. net/vaccine-registration. You can also register at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.