Vaccine uptake slows down across Ohio
Many more need shots to achieve herd immunity
COLUMBUS – The number of Ohioans getting COVID-19 vaccines has slowed in recent weeks, leaving leaders concerned about unvaccinated residents spreading the disease.
“Unvaccinated Ohioans simply lack the same protection against the virus,” said Ohio's chief medical officer, Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff. “If you're counting on herd immunity to cover you, you really can't count on it yet.”
To date, 38% of Ohioans have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 27.5% of the state's population was fully vaccinated, according to Ohio Department of Health data.
Many more Ohioans would need to get vaccines to achieve herd immunity, which is likely closer to 70% to 90% of the population.
Ohio isn't racing toward that goal. The state reported distributing nearly 30,000 vaccine doses Wednesday, compared with more than 100,000 doses March 31.
To date, 38% of Ohioans have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 27.5% of the state was fully vaccinated.
Summit County Public Health recently canceled a vaccination clinic because of decreased demand.
More than 460,000 first doses were administered in the last week of March, according to state data. Two weeks later, that had dropped to 370,000 first doses. About 221,000 first doses were administered in the week ending April 17.
One factor in that decline is a pause in the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine after federal health authorities reported rare cases of blood clots. It’s not yet clear how long that pause will continue.
Ohio health departments are getting creative to vaccinate residents.
For example, Toledo-lucas County Health Department is using ZIP code data to offer vaccines in underserved parts of the county, making calls and knocking on doors.
Some clinics are starting to offer walk-up options for shots instead of requiring appointments.
All Ohioans age 16 and older have been eligible for vaccine since March 29.
Dewine takes look at Ky. approach to health orders
Gov. Mike Dewine said he’s taking a look at how Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has tied lifting health orders to reaching 2.5 million residents vaccinated.
“We’re looking at any kind of measures that would tell people where we’re going and what we have to achieve,” Dewine said. “We’re not ruling that out at all.”
Dewine has tied lifting Ohio’s health orders, including a statewide mask mandate, to the rate of new cases over two weeks. His goal is 50 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents. Ohio was at 200 last week and will likely improve a little, around 186, an analysis of state data shows.
Still, Dewine said, case numbers should go down as more people get vaccines.
Starting in late June, Ohio lawmakers could lift health orders without consulting Dewine, thanks to a new law.
Ohio adds 1,789 new cases; deaths at more than 19,000
Ohio reported another 1,789 COVID-19 cases between Tuesday and Wednesday – a plateau in cases compared with past weeks.
That brings the statewide total to 1,058,395 reported COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began.
During that time, 19,033 people have died from COVID-19 and more than 55,000 have been hospitalized, Ohio Department of Health figures show.