Ohio COVID-19 Numbers –
Updated 6/3/21 2:00 PM

Total Cases: 1,103,380
Total Deaths: 19,923

Covid-19 Resources

Ohio Department of Health Checklists & FAQs

State of Ohio Coronavirus/COVID-19 web page: coronavirus.ohio.gov

CDC web page: coronavirus.gov

Click here to view Governor DeWine’s daily press conferences.

Lakewood Businesses: click here for information about resources for businesses affected by Coronavirus/COVID-19.

Click here for a listing of COVID-19 updates/closures by department.

Early Childhood COVID-19 Resource List

Update June 1, 2021 6:45 PM

Governor Announces Health Orders Rescinded
Governor Mike DeWine today announced that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed an order rescinding the following COVID-19-related health orders:

The Director’s Order to Limit Access to Ohio’s Jails and Detention Facilities.
The Director’s Order to Release Protected Health Information to Ohio’s First Responders.
The Director’s Order Requiring the Use of Facial Coverings in Child Education Settings.
The Director’s Order for Retail and Business Compliance for Facial Coverings through the State of Ohio.
The Second Amended Director’s Order on Adult Day Support Services and Vocational Habilitation Services.
The Third Amended Director’s Order on the Opening of Senior Centers.
The Third Amended Director’s Order on the Opening of Adult Day Services Centers.

The recissions go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on June 2, 2021.

The following orders will remain in effect:

The Order to Require Screening for Admission to State Operated Psychiatric Hospitals or to Department of Youth Services Facilities.
The Director’s Order Designating The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center a Public Health Laboratory.
The Director’s Order to Facilities to Notify Residents, Guardians and Sponsor of Positive or Probable Cases of COVID-19.
The Director’s Order Requiring Reporting and Notification Regarding COVID-19 Cases in Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade.

Note: The Director’s Second Amended Order for Social Distancing, Facial Coverings, and Non-Congregating was previously set to expire at 12:01 a.m. on June 2, 2021.

Update May 24, 2021 4:45 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VAX-A-MILLION UPDATE

Governor DeWine announced today that Ohio continues to see increased uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine following the announcement of the Ohio Vax-a-Million promotion.

From May 14 through May 19 as compared to May 7 through May 12, vaccinations in Ohio increased 94 percent among those 16 and 17 years old, 46 percent among those 18 and 19 years old, and 55 percent among those between 20 and 49 years old.

In total, 2,758,470 individual Ohioans have registered for the $1 million Vax-a-Million drawing and 104,386 young Ohioans have registered for the scholarship drawings. Ohio’s first Vax-a-Million drawing will take place at 7:29 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26.

Registration for this Wednesday’s drawing ended at midnight but vaccinated Ohioans can register for subsequent drawings at ohiovaxamillion.com or by calling 833-4-ASK-ODH. Once you register, your entry will be carried over for future drawings; Ohio Lottery will remove duplicate entries.

VACCINE UPTAKE AMONG OHIO MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES

Governor DeWine called on managed care companies to continue efforts to increase vaccine uptake among Ohio Medicaid beneficiaries. Right now, the vaccine uptake among Medicaid beneficiaries is 22 percent as compared to a 45 percent uptake among Ohioans overall.

Governor DeWine initially challenged managed care plans to implement new efforts earlier this month, and since then, new efforts include:

Partnering with pharmacies and providing incentives, such as gift cards, to those on Medicaid who are vaccinated at a pharmacy.
Incentivizing pharmacists to counsel those picking up prescriptions about vaccinations.
Working with local health departments, community providers, and faith-based initiatives to help spread the word about vaccination events to those on Medicaid.
Providing staff to help run vaccination events when needed and providing transportation to make sure people can get to and from the vaccination locations.
Tailoring strategies to meet people where they are, such as identifying individuals who can’t leave their homes and working with providers to go to these locations to administer vaccinations.
Working with providers to help them create vaccine opportunities outside of normal business hours.

ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE

Governor DeWine today clarified information about isolation and quarantine in regard to Ohio’s school students.

Beginning on June 2 and in accordance with CDC guidance, vaccinated children do not have to quarantine or be tested if they are exposed to COVID-19. Unvaccinated children who are exposed to COVID-19 should quarantine if the exposure took place outside of a classroom setting where masks were required to be worn. Unvaccinated children should also isolate if they test positive for the coronavirus. Local health departments should determine if quarantine or isolation should occur.

“While these are not state health orders, isolation and quarantine are standard infection control practices that have been used successfully for hundreds of years,” said Governor DeWine. “These practices are the same practices that are used for many other communicable diseases including measles and mumps.”

Individual school districts will decide whether or not to continue masking and social distancing in school settings.

NEXT ROUND OF TECHCRED

Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced today that the next round of TechCred opens on June 1^st and closes on June 30 at 3:00 p.m.

Ohio businesses can visit TechCred.Ohio.gov to apply and help their employees earn a short-term, technology-focused credential at no cost. Not only can businesses upskill their current employees, but they can upskill those they plan to hire as long as they are on the payroll at the time of reimbursement.

More than 1,100 Ohio businesses have used TechCred, creating the opportunity for 19,841 technology-focused credentials to be earned by Ohio employees.

Update May 17, 2021 4:45 PM

COVID-19 Update: New Health Order, Youth Vaccination FAQs, Vax-a-Million Update, Resources for Ohio Employers

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NEW HEALTH ORDER

Today, the Ohio Department of Health amended its remaining health order to conform to the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, which allows those who have been vaccinated to stop wearing masks. Under the CDC’s new guidance, those who have not been vaccinated should still wear a mask and socially distance.

Ohio’s order reflects the CDC’s recommendation that everyone wear masks when in a healthcare setting, when traveling on public transportation (including airplanes), and when at a business or employer that chooses to require masks.

The CDC recommendations make clear that businesses will be able to choose for themselves whether they continue to require masks in their premises. If a business chooses to require masking for employees and customers, that is permitted under the CDC guidance and Ohio’s order. If a business chooses not to require masks and leave that choice to customers and employees, that is also permitted in the CDC guidance and Ohio’s order.

As advised by the CDC, Ohio’s order also continues to require masking in congregate settings, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and in settings with large numbers of unvaccinated individuals, such as schools and daycare centers.

YOUTH VACCINATION FAQs

The Ohio Department of Health has created a new Frequently Asked Questions document to answer common questions from parents, guardians, and youth about COVID-19 vaccines.

The document shares information about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, parental consent, where children can be vaccinated, and more.

Just like adults, youth can be vaccinated at many locations across the state that are offering the Pfizer vaccine. This vaccine is available at Children’s Hospitals, as well as a number of regular hospitals, local health departments, retail pharmacies, community health centers, primary care physicians, and some pediatricians.

Parents who would like their child to be vaccinated at their pediatrician’s office are encouraged to call the office first and ask if they are administering the Pfizer vaccine. Pediatricians that are not yet registered to be vaccine providers are encouraged to sign up. Pediatricians and other potential vaccine providers can find more information at odh.ohio.gov.

VAX-A-MILLION UPDATE

Governor DeWine announced today that the Ohio Vax-a-Million drawing will be an opt-in program. Starting tomorrow, Ohioans will be asked to register for the drawings by visiting OhioVaxaMillion.com or by calling the Ohio Department of Health at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

Detailed information about the drawings is available in this press release from the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Lottery.

RESOURCES FOR OHIO EMPLOYERS

As Ohio’s economy recovers, businesses continue to experience difficulty filling open positions. Lt. Governor Husted today outlined the process for employers to report work refusals on the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) website. This includes jfs.ohio.gov, unemployment.ohio.gov, and OhioMeansJobs.com.

Because of the wide availability of both jobs and the vaccine in the state, ODJFS now has several buttons featured prominently on their websites for employers to report former employees who are receiving unemployment but have refused offers of suitable work.

Ohio law states that individuals are not entitled to unemployment benefits if they have resigned or have declined an offer of suitable work by filling out the “Eligibility Notice/Refusal to Return to Work Form.”

Employers reporting work refusals should be prepared to provide their name, email address, Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), claimant name, claimant ID or the last four digits of the claimant’s Social Security number, and additional details about the specific situation.

ODJFS will then investigate and send both parties an appealable determination on whether the quit or work refusal was for good cause.

Ohio law states that individuals are not entitled to unemployment benefits if they have resigned or have declined an offer of suitable work without “good cause.”

Individuals can visit OhioMeansJobs.com or contact their local OhioMeansJobs center to find and apply for job openings, take skill and career interest assessments, create or improve their resume, or practice interviewing.

OhioMeansJobs.com currently lists more than 180,000 job openings, and nearly 95,000 of them pay more than $50,000 per year.

To find contact information for your nearest OhioMeansJobs center, visit OhioMeansJobs.com and select “FIND A JOB CENTER” at the bottom of the page or call 1-888-296-7541.

Update May 14, 2021 3:00 PM

Governor DeWine Statement on New CDC Mask Guidance

Governor Mike DeWine issued the following statement directing the Ohio Department of Health to conform the remaining health orders to CDC guidance through June 2nd:

“Ohio will be amending our remaining health orders to comply with the new CDC guidance, which says that those who have been vaccinated no longer need to wear masks, while those who have not been vaccinated should still wear a mask and socially distance.

“The CDC still recommends everyone wear masks when they are in a healthcare setting, when they are travelling on public transportation, including airplanes, and when they are in a business or employer that chooses to require masks. Our order will be amended to reflect these recommendations, as well.

“The most powerful tool we have to protect against the COVID-19 virus is the vaccine. Because of the vaccine, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are decreasing dramatically. The vaccine allows us to live our lives more normally and without fear.

“As I said in my address to Ohioans on Wednesday, the more individuals who get vaccinated, the more the entire state is protected from the virus. The vaccine is our path out of the pandemic, and it is our best protection against the virus. We are on the offense, and the science is unequivocal: Vaccines are our best weapon to fight COVID-19 and save lives!

“However, not all Ohioans have been vaccinated yet. The June 2nd date I announced for the removal of health orders provided time for those who had not yet gotten their vaccine to get it. While our order will be amended to reflect the new CDC guidance, it will remain in place until June 2nd.

“Further, we must remember, that we still have Ohioans who are not eligible to be vaccinated, including those younger than 12 years-of-age. Individuals who have not been vaccinated should continue to wear masks pursuant to CDC recommendations. Businesses also have every right to continue to use masks and to require them for employees and customers. The experience in other states has been that some individuals may choose to wear masks, and many businesses, schools, hospitals, and other employers may choose to require masks in their buildings. That will remain their choice.

“Regardless of the new CDC guidance, this fact remains clear: The most powerful thing anyone can do to end this pandemic is to get vaccinated.”

Update May 13, 2021 5:30 PM

COVID-19 Update: Ohio Vax-a-Million, Kids Vaccination, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OHIO VAX-A-MILLION

In Wednesday’s statewide evening address, Governor DeWine detailed a series of statewide drawings to provide incentives for Ohioans to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Ohioans aged 18 and older will be entered into “Ohio Vax-a-Million,” a weekly drawing with a prize of up to $1 million.

The pool of names for the “Ohio Vax-a-Million” drawing will be derived from the Ohio Secretary of State’s publicly available voter registration database. Additionally, a webpage will be available to register.

A total of five weekly drawings for each prize will take place, with the first winners being announced May 26th. Winners must have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the date of the respective drawing.

The drawings will be administered by the Ohio Department of Health, with technical assistance from the Ohio Lottery Commission, and will be funded through existing allocations to the Ohio Department of Health of unexpended coronavirus relief funds.

KIDS VACCINATION

Governor DeWine announced COVID-19 Pfizer vaccinations are now available to Ohio’s youth age 12 years and older, following members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for this age group.

Additionally, Ohioans 17 and under who are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination will be entered into a drawing for a full, four-year scholarship to any of Ohio’s state colleges and universities, including full tuition, room and board, and books. A total of five weekly drawings for a full, four-year scholarship will take place, with the first winner being announced on May 26th. A webpage will be available to register those who qualify.

FEDERAL PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

Governor DeWine today announced that the administration will inform the U.S. Department of Labor that Ohio intends to stop participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program on June 26, 2021.

“When the program was put in place, it was a lifeline for many Americans at a time when the only weapon we had in fighting the virus was through social distancing, masking, and sanitization,” said Governor DeWine. “This is no longer the case as we now have an abundant supply of vaccines.”

The FPUC program gave states funding to offer enhanced unemployment benefits, including an additional $600, and now an additional $300.

“As companies around the globe begin to expand and make new investments coming out of the pandemic, the ability to provide a workforce is emerging as the primary factor in their decisions,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “States that can favorably respond are going to win the jobs that will employ people for years to come.”

Several business associations shared quotes of support regarding this announcement.

RECOVERY-FRIENDLY TRAINING MODULES

Lt. Governor Husted today announced that the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), RecoveryOhio, the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, and Working Partners^®have partnered together to create three new Recovery-Friendly Training Modules.

These training modules will help employers develop their own approach to hiring and retaining employees who are in recovery. The new Recovery-Friendly Training Modules can be found at RecoveryOhio.gov in addition to the five previously launched modules by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce in 2017.

NATIONAL POLICE WEEK

The Lt. Governor also highlighted National Police Week, which runs through Saturday, by recognizing the service and sacrifice of Ohio’s law enforcement officers.

NEW PSA

Governor DeWine introduced a new public service announcement today that encourages Ohioans to get vaccinated, featuring Cleveland Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski.

Update May 12, 2021 7:00 PM

Governor DeWine Announces Vaccine Incentives, End Date for Health Orders

Governor Mike DeWine on Wednesday announced a series of statewide drawings to provide incentives to Ohioans to get a COVID-19 vaccination. With wide access to the life-saving vaccine to help Ohioans safe, Governor DeWine also announced that most COVID-19 health orders would be removed on June 2nd. DeWine made the announcements during a statewide address to Ohioans Wednesday evening.

“For a year, Ohioans have made sacrifices to save lives and keep our state moving forward. What you have done has really worked! And now, we have a powerful weapon that is almost 100 percent effective in beating the virus,” Governor DeWine said in his remarks. “Simply put, the vaccine is stronger and better than medical experts ever imagined. And now, everyone 12 and over can use it to protect themselves — to put an invisible shield of protection around themselves. Everyone can now control their own health—their own destiny.”

Vaccine Incentives/Statewide Drawings

In an effort to increase the number of Ohioans who currently have not taken a COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated, Governor DeWine announced a series of statewide drawings to help incentivize vaccinations.

Ohioans under the age of 18 who are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will be entered into a drawing for a four-year full scholarship to any of Ohio’s state colleges and universities, including full tuition, room, and board.

Ohioans aged 18 and older will be entered into a weekly drawing with a prize of up to $1 million.

A total of five weekly drawings for each prize will take place, with the first winners being announced on May 26th. Winners must have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the date of the respective drawing.

Further details and contest rules will be announced by the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Lottery Commission next week during a briefing to news media.

Expiration of Health Orders

Governor DeWine also announced that he has asked the Ohio Department of Health to remove most pandemic health orders on June 2nd. The timeline will allow any Ohioan who has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine to obtain one to protect themselves and others before the lifting of coronavirus mitigation protocols.

“It is time to end the health orders. It’s been a year. You’ve followed the protocols. You’ve done what we’ve asked. You’ve bravely fought this virus,” said Governor DeWine. “And now, our cases are down, and we have a tested and proven weapon with the vaccine that all Ohioans 12 and over can utilize.”

Measures being removed will include facial covering protocols, social distancing guidelines, and capacity restrictions for indoor and outdoor events.

Governor DeWine announced that any pandemic health orders that would remain solely relate to either 1.) nursing homes and assisted living facilities, which will also to have federal safety protocols, and 2.) data collection related to the pandemic.

Governor DeWine’s Statewide Address Remarks

A copy of Governor DeWine’s statewide address remarks (as prepared) is available in PDF format via this link.

Update May 12, 2021 6:30 PM

Governor Announces Vaccinations Available to Youth in Ohio, Wolstein Center Vaccination Update

Governor Mike DeWine today announced COVID-19 Pfizer vaccinations will now be available to Ohio’s youth, age 12 years and older, following members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommending use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for this age group today. This follows the FDA’s update of the emergency use authorization (EUA) on Monday to include youth ages 12-15.

“This is promising news for Ohioans, making vaccine available to more people will help us return to the life we want to live. The COVID-19 vaccine is incredibly powerful, and by protecting more individuals, we make everyone safer,” said Governor DeWine. “We have worked proactively with the American Academy of Pediatrics – Ohio Chapter, children’s hospitals, and other providers to make sure they would be prepared to begin offering this vaccine to Ohio’s youth. I appreciate all they have done to prepare for this next phase.”

Children under age 18 who are not emancipated must have parental consent for any vaccine. A parent or legal guardian generally should accompany the minor to receive the vaccine, unless the administration of the vaccine occurs in a physician’s office, school-based or school-associated clinic setting or similar setting.

There are hundreds of locations at which youth ages 12-15 can be vaccinated across the state, including pediatrician’s offices, vaccine clinics, local health departments, hospitals, community health centers, and more. However, parents of 12-year-olds should be advised that due to current state law, those age 12 must have a prescription to be vaccinated at a pharmacy. Youth ages 13 and older do not need a prescription and may receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a pharmacy or any other vaccine provider listed at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. A bill has been introduced that would permit youth ages 7-12 to receive a COVID-19 or influenza vaccination at a pharmacy without a prescription. Prescriptions would still be required for all other vaccinations for this age group. Members of the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate have passed the bill. Once the bill is signed by the governor, it will immediately go into effect.

The Ohio Department of Health has also released a Frequently Asked Questions for Parents, Guardians, and Youth Ages 12-17 Eligible for the Pfizer Vaccine.

Governor DeWine also announced today that anyone age 12 and older can get their first Pfizer dose at the Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic in downtown Cleveland from May 18 through May 31. Appointments during this time period had initially been reserved for second doses only, but the site will expand to also offer first doses to anyone who has not yet been vaccinated, including those in the expanded eligibility category.

Youth ages 12-17 who are not emancipated must have consent from and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to be vaccinated at the Wolstein Center. Second dose appointments will be scheduled at the time of the first dose, but because the mass vaccination clinic at the Wolstein Center will close in early June, those vaccinated at the clinic from May 18 through May 31 will be scheduled to receive their second dose at an area Discount Drug Mart location.

The state-federal mass vaccination clinic at the Wolstein Center, which is located at 2000 Prospect Avenue and open 7 days a week, has administered hundreds of thousands of vaccines since launching in March. Walk-ins are welcome from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. or appointments can be scheduled at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or by calling 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634). Parking is free and transportation assistance for those living in Cuyahoga County is available by calling 2-1-1.

Update May 10, 2021 8:00 PM

Governor DeWine Issues Statement on FDA Vaccine Authorization

Governor Mike DeWine issued this statement following the approval by the Food and Drug Administration’s to administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to those ages 12-15:

“I am encouraged that the FDA has already updated Pfizer’s Emergency Use Authorization to include youth ages 12-15. Following a recommendation, as soon as Wednesday, from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the CDC, Ohio will immediately expand vaccine eligibility to youth ages 12-15 and provide appropriate guidance for parents, guardians, and vaccine providers across the state. Vaccinations are our way back to a more normal life.”

Update May 10, 2021 4:15 PM

Ohio Restores Unemployment Benefits Weekly Work-Search Requirement

Beginning the week of May 23, Ohioans will be required to resume weekly work-search activities as part of future applications for unemployment payments, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Interim Director Matt Damschroder announced today.

“Now that Ohioans have had the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and can safely return to work, it only makes sense that we restore work-search requirements for everyone,” said Governor Mike DeWine.

“Ohio business owners are creating jobs faster than people are returning to the workforce,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “Now that all Ohio adults have access to the vaccine, it’s time to return to the traditional work requirements.”

At the height of the pandemic from mid-March through Dec. 1, 2020, the federal government authorized states to waive work-search requirements. On Dec. 6, ODJFS resumed the work-search requirement for new unemployment claims, while exempting existing claims.

Allowable work-search activities include applying for a job, attending a resume-writing course, or creating and maintaining a reemployment plan on OhioMeansJobs.com. Under Ohio law, some individuals will be exempt from conducting work-search activities, including employees on a temporary layoff of 45 days or less, and individuals in approved training. Additionally, individuals will meet their weekly work-search requirement if they are members in good standing with a union hiring hall that refers its members to jobs. For those in approved school or training, their work-search requirement may be considered met if they are attending all classes and making satisfactory progress.

ODJFS will notify unemployed Ohioans impacted by this change directly, to allow plenty of time to understand the requirements and begin their process of weekly work-search activities.

Update May 6, 2021 9:45 AM

Ohio’s Mass Vaccination Clinic in Cleveland to Offer Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Next Week

Governor Mike DeWine announced today that Ohio’s state-federal mass vaccination clinic in downtown Cleveland will offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week. Anyone age 18 or older may receive the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine from Tuesday, May 11, through Monday, May 17.

The clinic, located at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center at 2000 Prospect Avenue, accepts walk-ins from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Appointments can also be booked online at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or by calling 833-4-ASK-ODH.

The mass vaccination clinic, which is operating in partnership between the state of Ohio, Federal Emergency Management Agency, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Cleveland State University, launched in mid-March. In its first six weeks of operations, more than 237,000 first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine were administered.

The clinic will continue offering first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to anyone age 16 or older through Monday, May 10. Second doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be administered beginning on Tuesday, May 18, for those who received their first doses of vaccine at the Wolstein Center in late April and early May.

Current Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic Timeline:

Tuesday, March 16 – Monday, April 5: Pfizer first doses
Tuesday, April 6 – Monday, April 26: Pfizer second doses
Tuesday, April 27 – Monday, May 10: Pfizer first doses
Tuesday, May 11 – Monday, May 17: Johnson & Johnson single doses
Tuesday, May 18 – Monday, May 31: Pfizer second doses

The clinic may extend beyond May 31 if demand for vaccine in a mass vaccination setting warrants that the clinic continue. There are currently more than 1,100 other local area providers offering vaccines across the state.

Administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was paused in Ohio last month as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization conducted a thorough review of extremely rare blood-clotting events reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. The CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to resume on April 23 after comprehensive analysis found that the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine outweigh the risks. Providers in Ohio were permitted to immediately resume administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine provided they continue to follow all guidance by the CDC and FDA.

Update May 4, 2021 4:45 PM

Governor Mike DeWine today announced that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed the following orders regarding COVID-19 testing frequency of residents and staff at assisted living facilities and nursing homes and opening of Senior Centers and Older Adult Day Services Centers:

Director’s Amended Order for the Testing of the Residents and Staff of all Residential Care Facilities

Director’s Amended Order for the Testing of Residents and Staff of all Nursing Homes

Third Amended Director’s Order on the Opening of Older Adult Day Services Centers

Third Amended Director’s Order on the Opening of Senior Centers

Update May 3, 2021 3:45 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LONG-TERM CARE/NURSING FACILITY TESTING ORDER

Governor DeWine announced today that a new Ohio Department of Health order will exempt fully vaccinated staff in nursing homes and assisted living facilities from routine testing. Staff members who are not fully vaccinated will be required to be tested twice a week.

An individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or two weeks after the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

HOMEBOUND VACCINATION PLAN

The Ohio Department of Aging and Ohio Department of Health have developed a homebound vaccination playbook for organizations working to ensure homebound individuals have access to the vaccine. By utilizing existing Rapid Response Teams, Ohio can deliver the vaccine where it is needed.

That playbook is available on the coronavirus website at coronavirus.ohio.gov. If you are a homebound individual or know a homebound individual who would like a vaccine, please contact your Area Agency on Aging at 1-866-243-5678.

WOLSTEIN WALK-INS

Ohio’s mass vaccination center at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland continues to accept walk-ins to the clinic. Last week, 2,000 walk-ins were vaccinated.

Of the total vaccinated at the Wolstein Center last week, approximately 44 percent of those vaccinated were minorities and approximately 68 percent live in targeted high social-vulnerability zip codes.

The clinic is open 7 days a week, and walk-ins are accepted from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Appointments are also available in advance by visiting GetTheShot.coronavirus.ohio.gov or by calling 833-4-ASK-ODH.

The Cleveland Indians are offering discounts on tickets for anyone who has been vaccinated at the Wolstein Center or any other vaccination location. Fans can get $5 off regular priced Upper Box and Upper Reserved tickets if they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This offer is only available online for series against the Cincinnati Reds May 7 – 9, Chicago Cubs May 11 – 12, and Minnesota Twins May 21 – 23.

The Reds are also offering discounted View Level tickets for $10 for fans who show their COVID-19 vaccination card with at least one shot complete. The offer is valid at Great American Ball Park ticket windows for Monday-Thursday games through June.

IN-DEMAND JOBS WEEK

Lt. Governor Husted provided remarks from the Southern Hills Career and Technical Center in Georgetown where he was visiting for a signing day as part of In-Demand Jobs Week.

The Lt. Governor, who also serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, made various stops in and around the Cincinnati region today in recognition of In-Demand Jobs Week. The visits worked to promote the state’s efforts to champion career, technical, and vocational education while highlighting both in-demand and critical jobs.

Follow along throughout In-Demand Jobs Week on social media at #InDemandOhio.

Update April 30, 2021 3:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 77,485 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,706-4,501.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update April 27, 2021 6:00 PM

Governor Mike DeWine today announced Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed the following public health orders:

Addendum to Director’s Amended Order for Social Distancing, Facial Coverings, and Non-Congregating that does not require individuals who are fully-vaccinated to quarantine after exposure to someone with COVID-19, unless they live and work in a nursing home, long-term care facility, or other congregate care setting where those individuals are subject to CDC or other industry guidance.
Amended Director’s Order Rescinding the Director’s Order to Limit Access to Ohio’s Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IIDs) and Permit Visitation and directs facilities to follow all relevant guidance issued by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding access to the facilities, visitation, and communal activities

Update April 27, 2021 5:00 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

QUARANTINE HEALTH ORDER

Governor DeWine today announced that any Ohioan who has been fully vaccinated will no longer have to quarantine if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19. This health order applies to all adults, except those who are in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or other congregate care settings. Nursing homes and long-term care facilities, including staff and residents, should continue to quarantine following CDC guidance.

“The power of the vaccine allows us to do this,” said Governor DeWine. “Fully vaccinated Ohioans, including high school students, will be able to participate in sports and other activities, even if they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.”

An individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines or two weeks after the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

As of today, 4.6 million Ohioans have received their first vaccine, and 3.6 million are fully vaccinated.

The health order is forthcoming.

MASS VACCINATION CLINIC

Ohio’s Mass Vaccination Clinic at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center will now accept walk-ins and will offer first doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week and next week. Walk-ins are welcome from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“More than 237,000 first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered in the six weeks the Mass Vaccination Clinic has been open,” said Governor DeWine. “The time to get vaccinated is now, and there are many open appointments at the Wolstein Center, as well as other vaccination locations in Ohio.”

Ohioans are still encouraged to visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to look for open appointments or call 833-4-ASK-ODH to book an appointment over the phone.

ECONOMIC UPDATE

Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided an update on Ohio’s economic landscape related to the recently announced 2020 Census count, the state’s current unemployment rate and workforce development efforts.

Presently, on OhioMeansJobs.com, there are 180,773 total jobs available and 92,866 of those jobs have a salary of over $50,000.

Additionally, workforce development programs, such as TechCred and IMAP, aim to upskill Ohioans, making businesses and the state more competitive.

“We have training programs available that can give you the skills you need to be ready to go to work at an in-demand, higher paying job in one month or less,” said Lt. Governor Husted.

INTERMEDIATE CARE HEALTH ORDER

Governor DeWine announced the Ohio Department of Health is rescinding the September 24, 2020 order that gave guidelines for indoor and outdoor visitation at intermediate care facilities. Intermediate care facilities should now follow current guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine appropriate access to the facility and resident visitation.

EQUITY UPDATE

The Ohio Department of Health, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, and Community Centers for the Deaf have translated important COVID-19 vaccination guidance and information into American Sign Language. These video segments are now available at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Update April 23, 2021 3:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 76,328 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,670-4,436.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update April 21, 2021 4:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACCINATIONS AND VIRUS SPREAD

As of today, 38 percent of Ohioans have received at least one coronavirus vaccination shot. Although cases have plateaued, virus variants are more contagious among those who have not been vaccinated.

“Just because the numbers are getting better and more people are getting vaccinated, the virus is now more dangerous than it was a few months ago for those who haven’t been vaccinated,” said Governor DeWine.

“Unvaccinated Ohioans lack the same protection against this virus as those who are vaccinated,” said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer at the Ohio Department of Health. “The virus is now in more contagious forms that put younger people at much greater risk, including the risk of ending up in the hospital. Essentially, the new variants have evolved to stick much more easily to our cells, so it takes less of the virus and less exposure to make one sick. Add to that the fact that more older Ohioans have been vaccinated, and it adds up to mean that if you’re young and unvaccinated, what may not have been much of a concern to you this fall should be a concern now.”

Dr. Vanderhoff also warned that Ohioans should not count on herd immunity until more people are vaccinated.

The vaccine is now more widely available and there is no shortage. Ohioans can visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to look for open appointments or call 833-4-ASK-ODH to book an appointment over the phone. Ohio’s mass vaccination clinic at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland is also now booking appointments for next week. First doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be offered. Appointments for the mass vaccination clinic can be booked via the aforementioned methods.

NEW PSAs

Governor DeWine introduced three new public service announcements today that encourage Ohioans to get vaccinated.

UNEMPLOYEMENT SYSTEM UPDATES

In an effort to continually improve Ohioans’ experiences with the Ohio Unemployment Office, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Interim Director Matt Damschroder shared several action updates.

The ODJFS team has been working with the Public-Private Partnership (P3 Team) to make improvements to the call center, which now has an average call handle time of less than 10 minutes (the lowest since the pandemic started). There is also real progress on the claims backlog. In addition, new tools have been implemented to enhance fraud detection including additional identity verification requirements and new IT measures, such as Experian and LexisNexis technology, to verify the identity of unemployment applications.

Update April 16, 2021 4:00 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 74,901 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,631-4,360.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update April 15, 2021 4:00 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VARIANT SPREAD

Governor DeWine announced today that more than 36 percent of Ohioans have now received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, however, Ohio’s statewide case incidence number has reached 200 cases per 100,000 people as compared to 144 cases per 100,000 people four weeks ago. There are currently more than 1,300 COVID-positive patients in Ohio’s hospitals.

“What we’re seeing in Ohio is a strong variant that is multiplying very quickly and is more contagious than the virus we’ve seen in the past, but we have hope, and hope is the vaccine,” said Governor DeWine. “Vaccination is how we get out of this.”

The majority of the counties with the highest incidence of cases in Ohio are in the northern region of the state which is seeing a high level of variant cases. Lucas County is currently seeing the highest occurrence of cases with 341.1 cases per 100,000 county residents.

Franklin County increased to Alert Level 4 (purple) on Ohio Public Health Advisory System due to a sustained increase in COVID-related emergency room visits, outpatient visits, and hospital admissions.

VACCINATION OPPORTUNITIES

There are a significant number of vaccine providers across the state with open vaccination appointments for this week and next week. Several sites are also accepting walk-up appointments including the mass vaccination clinic at Summit County’s fairgrounds, Franklin County’s regional mass vaccination clinic, and the Youngstown clinics at the Covelli Centre and Congregation Rodef Sholom Temple.

Ohio’s mass vaccination clinic at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland is also opening a satellite vaccination clinic on Friday and Saturday in Maple Heights which has many open appointments for the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to look for open appointments or call 833-4-ASK-ODH to book an appointment over the phone.

INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER TOOLKIT

Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) today announced the launch of the Inclusive Employer Toolkit designed to help employers recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities and foster an inclusive workplace.

Recruitment and retention are challenges for many businesses. Individuals with disabilities represent a talent pool that is often hidden and underutilized. The Inclusive Employer Toolkit, which can be used in its entirety or by section, is a guide to creating an inclusive workplace and accessing this hidden pool of talent.

“Ohioans with disabilities make excellent employees because of their loyalty and drive to be successful,” said Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “Creating an inclusive work environment and leveraging this untapped talent pool gives companies a competitive edge, and the new OOD Employer Toolkit can help give businesses the tools they need to get started.”

The Toolkit includes four main topics:

Building the Business Case – benefitting from hiring people with disabilities
Inclusive Workplace – making the workplace inclusive of everyone
Recruiting, Hiring, and Supporting Employees – getting access to a greater pool of talent
Workplace Accommodations – making small changes can make a big difference

Update April 13, 2021 4:45 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided an update on Ohio’s vaccination plans following this morning’s decision to pause the administration of the Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccine.

The majority of the Ohio’s Johnson and Johnson doses were directed to mass vaccination clinics and to 63 public and private 4-year colleges and universities, most of which have already completed their student vaccinations.

Of the mass vaccination clinics and college/university clinics that did plan to offer the Johnson and Johnson vaccine this week, most will proceed with their clinics by offering either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. A total of eight sites will not offer any vaccines this week as the health community works to recognize, report, and manage any adverse events related to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

There are many other local providers with open appointments for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to look for open appointments.

Governor DeWine, Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud, and Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Bruce Vanderhoff, M.D., directed all Ohio vaccine providers this morning to temporarily pause using the Johnson and Johnson vaccine following a recommendation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The recommendation was made after six people who received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine experienced an extremely rare blood-clotting condition in the United States. The cases have occurred in women between 18 and 48 and the reactions have taken place within 6-13 days after receiving the vaccine.

Approximately 6.8 million people have received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine in the U.S. 264,311 of those vaccinations were administered in Ohio.

Update April 13, 2021 8:45 AM

Ohio Advises Temporary Pause for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine

Today Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud, and Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Bruce Vanderhoff, M.D., are advising all Ohio vaccine providers to temporarily pause using the Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccine.

This is in response to a statement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine following extremely rare blood-clotting events of six people in the U.S. after receiving the vaccine.

Later today the FDA and the CDC will hold a media briefing.

In addition, the CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices tomorrow to further review these cases.

Officials with the Ohio Department of Health are following this situation closely.

Update April 9, 2021 3:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 74,595 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,573-4,259.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update April 9, 2021 10:30 AM

Governor Mike DeWine today announced that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed the Amended Order for Social Distancing, Facial Coverings and Non-Congregating to clarify that:

Six feet of separation between tables at restaurants, drinking establishments and banquet facilities must be maintained unless there is a physical barrier between them.
Other than the facial covering requirements, the social distancing, congregating, and capacity requirements of the order do not apply to religious observances and First Amendment activity, including activity by the media, as has been the case since the beginning of the pandemic.
The K-12 mask requirement mandate remains in effect and unchanged

Update April 8, 2021 4:45 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Governor DeWine today outlined the progression of Ohio’s economic recovery.

Ohio’s gross domestic product (GDP) outpaced the nation in the final quarter of calendar year 2020. The U.S. GDP is estimated to have grown 4.3 percent in the quarter, and Ohio’s GDP is estimated to have increased 5 percent during the same timeframe.
Ohio’s unemployment rate in February 2021 was 5 percent and the national rate was 6.2 percent.
This month, Ohio’s tax revenues exceeded the monthly estimate by $41 million, or 2.6 percent, and remain 4.3 percent above the estimate for the fiscal year-to-date. This is a dramatic improvement from one year ago.

These positive developments follow several steps taken by Governor DeWine at the onset of the pandemic to ensure that the state budget remained balanced and stable, including a freeze on state government spending, cuts in state staffing costs, and refinanced state bonds.

“I made these hard choices early on, tightening our belt because we did not know what the future held,” said Governor DeWine. “A strong post-pandemic economy directly depends on defeating the virus, and as we are working hard to vaccinate Ohioans, we are seeing good signs in our economy as well.”

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Using federal dollars strategically to shore up Ohio’s unemployment system will also contribute to Ohio’s year of recovery. Today, Governor DeWine recommended to the General Assembly that Ohio use a portion of its federal COVID relief and recovery dollars to pay off the Unemployment Insurance loan owed to the federal government.

“This loan was caused by the global pandemic, and paying it off now will free Ohio employers from this burden so they can instead focus on getting employees across our state back to work.,” said Governor DeWine “This will help small businesses owners and employees, and I look forward to working with our partners in the General Assembly on legislation to pay off the loan.”

“The Ohio Chamber of Commerce applauds Gov. DeWine’s announcement today recommending a portion of the state’s federal pandemic relief funds be used to pay off the state’s unemployment compensation loan. Eliminating Ohio’s outstanding federal unemployment loan balance and shoring up the state’s trust fund will prevent employers from facing an estimated tax increase in 2022 of over $100 million and could save employers as much as $658 million in tax increases over a three-year period,” said Ohio Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Andrew E. Doehrel. “The DeWine administration’s investment will also prevent a repeat of the tax hikes employers were saddled with stemming from the 2008 recession when it took the state 8 years to pay back Ohio’s federal unemployment loan of more than $3.3 billion.”

“During the last unemployment crisis, Ohio borrowed about $3.4 billion to pay unemployment benefits to workers. During that time, Ohio employers were hit with federal interest and penalties that cost them over $3 billion. Due to the COVID pandemic, Ohio is already over $1.4 billion in unemployment compensation debt. To pay that back would be a huge cost to Ohio businesses who are trying desperately to recover and hire people,” said Roger Geiger, Executive Director for NFIB in Ohio.

CASE INCREASES & OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM UPDATE

This week is the second week where the cases over two weeks per 100,000 people have gone up by more than 10. Two weeks ago, Ohio’s cases per 100,000 people were 146.9. Today, case per 100,000 people is at 183.7.

“We are moving in the wrong direction from our statewide goal of 50 cases per 100,000 people,” said Governor DeWine. “We are not seeing the runaway case growth we saw during the fall yet, so we can still turn this around if more people continue to get vaccinated and we continue to mask and social distance.”

The increases in case rates are reflected in this week’s Ohio Public Health Advisory System map. New health data compiled by the Ohio Department of Health shows case increases in 53 counties over the past week.

Level changes include:

Franklin County moved to the watch list following sustained increases in cases and in COVID-related healthcare use including emergency department and outpatient visits and hospitalizations for COVID.
Putnam County moved from orange to red.
Carroll, Mercer, and Morgan counties moved from yellow to orange.
Brown and Noble counties dropped from orange to yellow.

According to Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer at the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio and the nation are enduring another wave of COVID-19 due to variants of the original virus that are more contagious and more deadly. Variant counts in Ohio jumped from 92 on March 12 to 797 today, a doubling time of about every 9-10 days.

MULTISYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN

Although COVID-19 has historically affected older Ohioans, children are not immune to getting sick with coronavirus, and in some rare cases, kids can develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Since the start of the pandemic, 166 children have been treated for this syndrome since the start of the pandemic.

According to Dr. Dustin Fleck, chief of rheumatology at Dayton Children’s Hospital, this syndrome is unique because it is not associated with an active COVID infection. Rather, symptoms usually develop 2-4 weeks after a child has a symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID infection.

The syndrome is characterized by fever and inflammation throughout the body, specifically targeting the heart. The syndrome can also target the gastrointestinal system, liver, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Parents should look for symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, swelling of hands and feet, and redness of eyes.

Dr. Fleck’s full explanation of multisystem inflammatory syndrome is available on the Ohio Channel’s YouTube page.

CHOOSE OHIO FIRST SCHOLARSHIP

Lt. Governor Jon Husted highlighted a scholarship that boosts Ohio’s efforts to strengthen the state’s workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The scholarship, part of the Choose Ohio First (COF) program, will support an estimated 3,400 Ohio students who are new to the program, along with an additional 3,000 existing COF scholars. The scholarship awards a total of $69,826,882 over the next five years.

“The Choose Ohio First scholarship is helping Ohio students get a head start on their future careers, preparing them for in-demand jobs including coding and cybersecurity,” said Lt. Governor Husted, who led efforts to create the program as then-Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. “This new investment shows how valuable a STEM education – and keeping those students in Ohio – is to the state. I encourage high school students to consider the Choose Ohio First program as they are looking at their future college education.”

This new COF scholarship will support students completing programs in the STEM disciplines at 57 colleges and universities across the state, including several schools that are new to the program.

BMV UPDATES

Lt. Governor Husted also announced enhancements to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicle’s (BMV) “Get In Line, Online” system.

The update allows customers to check in at the deputy registrar agency by using a QR code, located on the BMV deputy registrar storefront.

Instead of checking in at the self-service kiosk and waiting inside the agency, customers may now wait in their vehicle and will receive a text message with instructions when it is their turn to return to the agency to complete their transaction.

On March 16, QR codes were rolled out to approximately 10-20 agencies per week. By May, most agencies will have this “Get in Line, Online” enhancement available to customers.

The BMV is also reminding customers that the COVID-19 automatic extension that was applied to Ohio driver licenses, identification cards, and vehicle registrations is ending soon.

Visit bmv.ohio.gov for more information.

Update April 5, 2021 4:15 PM

Governor Mike DeWine provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONDENSED HEALTH ORDER

Governor DeWine announced today that the Ohio Department of Health will issue a simplified health order that streamlines previous orders into a single order that underscores the most important tenants of infection prevention.

“Our understanding of this virus and how it spreads is much more advanced than it was when we first learned about coronavirus in early 2020,” said Governor DeWine. “As we move to begin a new chapter in our fight against the pandemic, where more and more Ohioans are being vaccinated, this new order will focus on our best defense measures against COVID-19, such as wearing a mask, social distancing, limiting large gatherings, being outside, and practicing good hand hygiene.”

HIGH SCHOOL VACCINATIONS

Governor DeWine announced that he has asked Ohio’s local health departments and vaccine providers that are offering the Pfizer vaccine to coordinate with local high schools to offer vaccinations to high school students who are 16 or older. Pfizer is the only vaccine that is currently approved for children as young as 16.

Today’s announcement follows last week’s announcement that vaccination clinics will be offered at all higher education campuses in the coming weeks.

“As with our colleges, by taking vaccines to schools, we’ll increase the percentage of people in this age group who choose to get vaccinated,” said Governor DeWine.

OhioRISE

As part of the Ohio Department of Medicaid’s managed care overhaul, Governor DeWine announced the “Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence (OhioRISE) program. The program will feature new, intensive, community-based services that will serve youth in their homes and communities, rather than in congregate settings that can be far away from a child’s home and support system.

Over the next ten months, Aetna Better Health of Ohio will work with the Ohio Department of Medicaid and the Family and Children First Cabinet Council to launch OhioRISE to serve all of Ohio’s eligible children. To enroll in OhioRISE, children must be Medicaid eligible, have significant behavioral health needs, and require enhanced services.

Update April 3, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 72,221 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,529-4,184.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update April 1, 2021 4:15 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

HIGHER EDUCATION VACCINATIONS

Governor DeWine announced today that the state will begin working with local colleges and universities to offer vaccination clinics on campuses across the state. These higher-education vaccination clinics will start on various campuses next week and will offer the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

“Although young people are less likely to get sick from the coronavirus, they are significant carriers of the virus,” said Governor DeWine. “By offering one-dose clinics on campus, students who wish to be vaccinated will have a nearby, convenient location to get the vaccine with their peers.”

The goal is to offer on-campus clinics to all of Ohio’s college students before the school year ends in May.

WORKPLACE VACCINATIONS

Governor DeWine also announced that Ohio will begin working with employers and other organizations to offer workplace vaccination clinics throughout Ohio. Beginning the week of April 12, vaccine providers can allot up to 25 percent of their vaccine allocation to be used to vaccinate their own employees or to partner with local employers, labor unions, and other organizations to vaccinate their employees at their work locations.

INCREASE IN CASES, VARIANT SPREAD

For the past two Thursdays, Ohio’s statewide average was just under 150 cases per 100,000 population. The two-week case rate has now risen to 167.1 cases per 100,000. New cases had been relatively flat through the month of March, but cases are beginning to increase once again, which demonstrates the necessity that Ohioans choose to be vaccinated. To date, nearly 30 percent of Ohioans have received at least one dose of vaccine.

According to Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer at the Ohio Department of Health, variant activity continues to rise, closely mirroring what is occurring in the rest of the nation. Michigan is currently experiencing an increase in cases that is more than 3.5 times what Ohio is seeing, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this increase appears to be driven substantially by variants. Most of Ohio’s rising cases numbers and variant cases are happening in the area of the state bordering Michigan.

“Ohio remains in a race against a virus that is now more contagious and right back on our heels,” said Dr. Vanderhoff. “We can win this race as long as we don’t falter; as long as we press on with consistent masking and vaccination, especially in light of this week’s important and encouraging research out of the CDC confirming that the vaccines are powerful protection against COVID-19 and its variants.”

Governor DeWine announced today that as Ohio continues to receive increases in its vaccine allotment, the state will allot more doses to areas that are seeing case spikes or increases in vaccine demand.

OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM

New health data compiled by the Ohio Department of Health shows case increases in 56 counties over the past week, however, because there are not yet significant increases in healthcare utilization at the county level, most counties stayed at the same level this week.

Level changes include:

Van Wert County moved from yellow to orange.
Auglaize, Paulding and Scioto moved from red to orange.
Carroll, Mercer, and Morgan counties moved from orange to yellow.
Clinton County dropped from red to yellow.

IN-DEMAND JOBS WEEK (MAY 3 – 7)

Lt. Governor Husted, in his capacity as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, also announced that In-Demand Jobs Week will officially take place May 3 through 7.

In-Demand Jobs Week is designed to promote Ohio’s most in-demand and fastest growing industries through statewide hiring, education, and training events. This year, In-Demand Jobs Week will feature all of Ohio’s top jobs, including critical jobs, which focus on the health and well-being of Ohioans such as child care workers, home health aides, and firefighters.

Throughout the week, businesses, education providers, community organizations, and more are encouraged to plan unique, virtual opportunities that will inspire students and job seekers to pursue a job in Ohio. From virtual tours and roundtables to virtual career-tech signing days and online job fairs, In-Demand Jobs Week is an opportunity to highlight what Ohio has to offer.

Organizations can visit TopJobs.Ohio.gov to add their event to the official In-Demand Jobs Week map. Individuals interested in attending an event can use this map to find events near them.

LAUNCH OF APRIL ROUND OF TECHCRED

The next round of TechCred launches today and closes on April 30 at 3:00 p.m.

Ohio businesses can visit TechCred.Ohio.gov to apply and help their employees earn a new tech-focused credential, at no cost.

More than 1,100 Ohio businesses have used TechCred, creating the opportunity for 19,841 technology-focused credentials to be earned by Ohio employees.

Update March 31, 2021 3:00 PM

Rush Hour Parking Enforcement To Resume On April 12th

Effective 4/12/2021, the City of Lakewood will resume enforcement of “rush hour” parking zones as marked, Monday-Friday 7:00 am-9:30 am and 4:00 pm-6:30 pm.

Beginning 4/19/2021, vehicles found in violation of the rush hour zones will be subject to towing as posted.

Rush hour parking enforcement was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a review of policies and procedures by Lakewood Police Department, it was decided that the volume of traffic supports now lifting that suspension.

In addition, all other parking violations will again be fully enforced as of 4/12/21.

Update March 26, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 71,170 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,504-4,108.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update March 25, 2021 5:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CLEVELAND MASS VACCINATION SITE

As of yesterday, more than 46,000 people have been vaccinated at the state-federal mass vaccination clinic at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center. Next week will be the final segment of first doses vaccines.

Starting April 6, second doses will begin to be administered. Appointments can be scheduled by visiting gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. or by calling 1-833-427-5634 (1-833-4-ASK-ODH).

REGIONAL MASS VACCINATION SITES

Next week, Ohio will open 11 stationary mass vaccination sites and four mobile clinics that will travel throughout specific regions of the state. The stationary mass vaccination sites will be held at:

The Knights of Columbus, Lima, Ohio
The Lucas County Rec Center, Maumee, Ohio
Dayton-Montgomery County Convention Center, Dayton, Ohio
The Celeste Center, Columbus, Ohio
The Summit County Fairgrounds, Akron, Ohio
The site of the former Dillard’s at Southern Park Mall, Youngstown, Ohio
The Cintas Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
The Wilmington Airpark, Wilmington, Ohio
Adena Medical Education Center, Chillicothe, Ohio
Wayne Street Medical Campus, Marietta, Ohio
Colony Square Mall, Zanesville, Ohio

Additionally, an Ohio Northern University mobile clinic will start next week and travel between Wyandot, Marion, Union, Logan, Crawford and Hardin counties.

The Ohio University Mobile Clinic will travel between Lawrence, Meigs, Vinton, Washington, Morgan and Perry counties.

Additional details about the stationary and mobile clinics will be available at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Appointments can be scheduled by visiting gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. or by calling 1-833-427-5634 (1-833-4-ASK-ODH). Appointments will be available for Ohioans ages 16 years and older.

VACCINE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

The Ohio Department of Aging has created the Vaccine Maintenance Program to ensure new residents and employees, and established residents and employees who previously decided not to receive a vaccine, can still choose to receive one.

“We are eager to partner with facilities across the state to ensure our long-term care residents and their caregivers are protected from COVID-19,” said Governor DeWine.

The list of facilities includes nursing homes and assisted living facilities who have not indicated their willingness to participate in the Vaccine Maintenance Program or how they would make vaccinations available to their residents and staff.

TEAM OHIO RECOGNITION

Lt. Governor Husted also announced that this week, Government Technology Magazine named its annual Top 25 Doers, Dreamers and Drivers. This program annually recognizes the work of innovators around the country to improve state and local government through technology.

Along with 21 individuals, the magazine recognized four teams. Among those teams was “Team Ohio,” including Lt. Governor Husted and Ervan Rodgers, the State Chief Information Officer and Assistant Director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services.

The magazine focused on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with Ohio’s ongoing focus on making use of technology assets to improve the well-being of Ohioans and their health, property, security, livelihood, and prosperity.

OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM

New health data compiled by the Ohio Department of Health shows declining rates of COVID-19 exposure and spread in ten counties.

Dropping from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2: Brown, Columbiana, Coshocton, Fulton, Lawrence, and Logan.

Dropping from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1: Holmes and Van Wert.

JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES UPDATE

Governor DeWine today announced a new agreement between the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Google to conduct data analytics on all outstanding claims. Google will review claims for markers and patterns of fraud. This will allow the department to prioritize and quickly process legitimate, outstanding claims.

Additionally, Governor DeWine announced that David DeVillers, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, will join the Public-Private Partnership Team (P3) as the law enforcement subject matter expert. He will serve as a liaison between the department and local, state and federal law enforcement.

Update March 22, 2021 3:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACCINATION APPOINTMENT BOOKING

While most of Ohio’s current vaccine providers are quickly filling all vaccination appointments, some locations are seeing less demand for the vaccine. In response, Governor DeWine announced that local health departments and hospitals that are having a hard time filling appointments with individuals who are currently eligible for the vaccine may book appointments with anyone 16 years old and older.

Currently, anyone age 40 or older is eligible to receive the vaccine. Eligibility will drop to any Ohioan age 16 and up beginning on March 29.

CLEVELAND MASS VACCINATION UPDATE

As of today, more than 30,000 people have been vaccinated at the state-federal mass vaccination clinic at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center. Appointments can be scheduled by visiting gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. or by calling 1-833-427-5634 (1-833-4-ASK-ODH).

NURSING HOME/ASSISTED LIVING VISITATION

The Ohio Department of Health will issue an updated order related to assisted living facilities and nursing homes. The general visitation requirements will remain the same, including the requirement that visitors schedule appointments in advance, are screened at the door, and wear masks. Changes to the order include:

Ohio is requiring that visitation be permitted whenever safety protocols can be met. Previously, visitation was permitted, not required;
Vaccinated residents may have physical touch with their visitor while wearing a mask. Previously, touch was discouraged;
Visits may occur in a resident’s private room, as opposed to the previous requirement of a separate visitation area;
30 minutes should serve as the minimum amount of time for a visit. Previously, 30 minutes was the maximum time to visit.

The order will also expand the circumstances in which compassionate care visits should be granted.

In addition, the order will update nursing home and assisted living testing requirements to require the facilities to test vaccinated staff once per week and unvaccinated staff twice per week. The previous order made no distinction between vaccinated or unvaccinated staff.

“We must continue regularly testing for the virus,” said Governor DeWine. “It’s just good science, and it will help us identify cases early and prevent the spread. Further, if COVID is controlled, that means less disruption to visitation.”

Certain circumstances, such as a facility outbreak, may necessitate that visitation be restricted on a case-by-case basis. Nursing homes must also continue following federal regulations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Update March 19, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 70, 242 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,467-4,055.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update March 18, 2021 6:30 PM

Ohio Governor DeWine announced today that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud has issued the Second Amended Director’s Order on Adult Day Support Services and Vocational Habilitation Services.

A modification to the original order adapts to the latest medical guidance from local health departments. This updated language will allow providers to continue to deliver services in a safe environment while following the best medical practices.

Update March 18, 2021 5:45 PM

Governor Mike DeWine provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

STATEWIDE CASE RATE

Governor DeWine announced that Ohio’s statewide case rate stands at 143.8 cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. When Ohio reaches 50 cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, all health orders will be lifted.

OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM

New health data compiled by the Ohio Department of Health shows declining rates of COVID-19 exposure and spread in ten counties.

Dropping from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2: Ashtabula, Carroll, Fayette, Jackson, Morrow, and Tuscarawas.

Dropping from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1: Auglaize, Mercer, Shelby, and Vinton.

NURSING HOME UPDATE

This week, Ohio’s long-term care facilities reported just 70 new COVID-19 cases, compared to 157 new cases reported the previous week and 2,832 new cases reported at the peak of the pandemic in December.

“In addition to wearing masks, social distancing, and cleaning, there is no doubt of the significant impact vaccination is having on protecting nursing home residents and preventing severe illness and death among those most targeted by the virus,” said Governor DeWine.

A total of 93 percent of Ohio’s nursing homes and 77 percent of assisted living facilities have signed up to get additional vaccine for new staff and new residents through Ohio’s COVID-19 Vaccine Maintenance Program. Governor DeWine urged the 243 facilities in Ohio that have not requested additional vaccine for new staff and residents to alert the state to its process to offer the vaccine by filling out the survey at aging.ohio.gov/COVIDvaccine.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation has expanded the eligibility of the COVID-19 Indoor Air Quality Assistance Program, which provides reimbursements to eligible applicants to help cover the costs of inspections, assessments, maintenance, and improvements to indoor heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to control the spread of COVID-19. The program also provides reimbursement for secondary devices designed to destroy bacteria, mold, and viruses.

Launched in December, this $28 million federally-funded program targeted nursing homes, assisted living centers, and adult day centers that invested in HVAC improvements that weaken COVID-19’s spread. The expanded eligibility extends to:

Intermediate care facilities;
Hospices;
Senior centers;
Adult care facilities;
Waiver settings (group homes); and
Substance use treatment centers.

More information, including the application, can be found at BWC.ohio.gov.

NEW PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Today, Governor DeWine unveiled two new public services announcements aimed at encouraging Ohioans to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The first PSA features older Ohioans from throughout Ohio who discuss how they feel now that they’ve been vaccinated.

The second PSA features Anthony Munoz, retired Cincinnati Bengal and Pro Football Hall of Famer, who was recently vaccinated.

Update March 16, 2021 12:45 PM

Governor DeWine Announces Expanded Vaccine Eligibility, Cleveland Mass Vaccination Clinic Opens to Public

Governor Mike DeWine and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Cleveland State University (CSU) today welcomed the first members of the general public to be vaccinated at Ohio’s mass vaccination clinic at CSU’s Wolstein Center in Cleveland.

The eight-week mass vaccination clinic is vaccinating approximately 1,500 Ohioans today and will ultimately bring vaccine doses to 210,000 people in Ohio. Similar to mass vaccination sites in other states, the site will incrementally increase the number of vaccines administered, and up to 6,000 doses per day are expected to be available by next week.

Video and interviews from inside the clinic today can be found at this link.

The Wolstein Center location was recommended by Ohio and selected by FEMA based on its proximity to a large number of Ohio’s high-risk citizens and medically underserved populations. To ensure equitable access to the vaccine for underserved and socially vulnerable populations, more than 300 local community groups are partnering with the state to help schedule appointments for those who face vaccination barriers. Translators will be on-site to assist those who speak other languages, and free transportation is available for those who need help getting to and from the clinic.

“This is an example of Ohio at its finest – citizens coming together to help ensure that all Ohioans, no matter where they live, have access to the vaccine,” said Governor DeWine. “Today is a monumental day. With every shot, Ohio is moving closer to recovery.”

While in Cleveland today, Governor DeWine also announced expanded vaccine eligibility in Ohio beginning on March 19, 2021, for phases 1E and 2C. Phase 1E includes those with cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease, and obesity. Phase 2C extends eligibility to Ohioans who are 40 and older. Between these two eligible groups, 1.6 million more Ohioans will have access to the vaccine.

Beginning on March 29, eligibility will be expanded to all Ohioans ages 16 and older. FDA emergency use authorization only allows those ages 16 and 17 to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

To book an appointment at the Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic or to find appointment information on the more than 1,300 local providers offering the vaccine statewide, visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. Ohioans can also schedule mass vaccination clinic appointments by calling 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

The Ohio Department of Health, Ohio National Guard, and Ohio Emergency Management Agency are managing the Wolstein Center clinic with support from FEMA, the U.S. Department of Defense, the City of Cleveland, the Cleveland Health Department, Cuyahoga County, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, and University Hospitals.

“This is a big day for Cuyahoga County—we’re launching a major attack on the virus, with more than 210,000 vaccine doses to be administered,” said County Executive Armond Budish. “This is a tremendous opportunity that can help our residents return to work, school, church, and to see family and friends again. Just in time for spring we have a chance to make sure everyone in our community can be part of this lifesaving COVID-19 recovery effort. I encourage everyone who is eligible to get the shot—not just for yourself, but for our entire community.”

“We’re so proud that after weeks of hard work and planning by our team and our key partners, Ohio’s Mass Vaccination Clinic at CSU’s Wolstein Center is ready to open,” said Cleveland State University President Harlan M. Sands. “It is critical to our mission as a university to serve our community on important issues like this one.”

The Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic will operate seven days a week from 8:00 a.m to 8:00 p.m. and will offer first doses of the Pfizer vaccine during the first three weeks of operations. Those vaccinated during that timeframe will be guaranteed their second Pfizer dose during the fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks of the clinic. The one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be offered at the site during the seventh and eighth weeks. There are multiple free parking options near the Wolstein Center.

The state of Ohio is also offering two pop-up mass vaccination clinics in Columbus and Cincinnati beginning on March 18, and 15 long-term mass vaccination clinics will open regionally across Ohio in coming weeks.

For more information about Ohio’s vaccination plan, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

Update March 14, 2021 6:30 PM

Thousands of Additional Cleveland Mass Vaccination Appointments to Open Monday

Governor Mike DeWine announced today that thousands of additional appointments for Ohio’s mass vaccination clinic at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center will be available for registration beginning Monday, March 15, 2021.

Governor DeWine made the announcement at a Sunday evening press conference while outlining the state’s plans to maximize vaccination administration while also ensuring equitable access for underserved and socially vulnerable populations. The plans include strategic outreach to maximize getting every dose available to residents in the region.

Among the initiatives announced:

Additional Appointments Available: Beginning the morning of Monday, March 15, Ohioans who currently qualify for vaccination can register for an appointment at the Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic between March 24 and March 30. Ohioans can register for the appointments at gettheshot.conronavirus.ohio.gov. Those with trouble navigating the internet or those without internet access can book an appointment by calling 1-833-427-5634 (1-833-4-ASK-ODH).
Community Partner Registration: Ohio’s vaccination plan focuses on ensuring that Ohioans can access vaccines close to home and where they are comfortable receiving health care. Because many underserved communities rely on community partners to deliver health care information and services, Ohio has set aside a portion of available Wolstein Center appointments to be booked through the work of community partners. These partners will help ensure equitable access to the vaccine by targeting underserved communities to fill the reserved appointment times.
Release of Unbooked and Canceled Appointments to General Public: Also beginning on Monday, March 15, Ohio will begin releasing appointment times reserved for community-partner registration but not filled. These appointments will be available to the general public 48 hours before each clinic date. Appointments that are canceled will also become available to the public for booking. Visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to view the latest appointments as they become available or call 1-833-427-5634 (1-833-4-ASK-ODH).

“We want to ensure that every Ohioan who wants to be vaccinated – no matter where they live – has the opportunity to get the vaccine, and our community partners are crucial in our efforts to make that happen,” said Governor DeWine. “More than 1.3 million Ohioans have been fully vaccinated so far, and every day we’re getting closer to emerging from this pandemic.”

“The opening of the Wolstein Center vaccination site is an important step to helping end this pandemic,” said Kevin M. Sligh, Acting Regional Administrator, FEMA Region 5. “The center will greatly expand vaccine availability to individuals at highest risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection; I hope Ohioans in the most underserved communities take advantage of this opportunity to protect themselves against this deadly virus so they can get back to seeing and hugging their loved ones again.”

“I encourage every eligible individual to take advantage of the new appointments at the Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. “Our local, state, and federal partners are working hard to maximize vaccine distribution in a fair and equitable way to those who need it most. These types of mass vaccination sites in our community, along with other preventative measures such as wearing a mask and social distancing will help us slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Ohio’s mass vaccination clinic at the Wolstein Center will officially open on March 17, following a limited-capacity soft launch on March 16, and the clinic will be capable of offering up to 6,000 vaccine doses a day. Similar to mass vaccination sites in other states, the clinic will incrementally increase the number of vaccines administered before offering the full 6,000 doses, which is expected during the week of March 22. Plans for delivering mass vaccination clinic vaccines via mobile vaccination units are also underway.

The eight-week Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic will offer first doses of the Pfizer vaccine during weeks one through three, and recipients will be guaranteed their second dose of vaccine at the clinic during weeks four through six. Weeks seven and eight will offer the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Eligible Ohioans throughout the state can book an appointment at the Cleveland mass vaccination clinic or at any of the more than 1,300 local vaccine providers located in Ohio. Fifteen mass vaccination clinics are also opening in other regions in coming weeks.

All Ohioans can search for available appointments near them, including all participating vaccine providers in all 88 counties, by visiting gettheshot.conronavirus.ohio.gov (preferred) or by calling 1-833-427-5634 or 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.

Update March 12, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are 69, 269 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,432-4,025.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update March 11, 2021 6:00 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CLEVELAND MASS VACCINATION SITE

The Cleveland mass vaccination site, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will launch on Wednesday, March 17, at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. As of today, more than 17,000 Ohioans have registered to receive their vaccine at the site.

Additional appointments will become available throughout the coming days. To schedule an appointment at the Cleveland mass vaccination site, or with a vaccination provider, visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.

NURSING HOME VISITATION

Governor DeWine today discussed the new federal regulations for nursing home visitation, as well as Ohio’s Vaccine Maintenance Program. The visitation guidelines, issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) indicate visitation should be happening in nursing homes. There are a few specific exceptions that would limit visitation, such as outbreaks in the facility or an extreme number of cases in the community. Full information on the federal nursing home visitation guidance is available at cms.gov.

Additionally, Governor DeWine highlighted the progress being made by Ohio’s Vaccine Maintenance Program for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Ohio’s Vaccine Maintenance Program ensures new nursing home residents and employees, and established residents and employees who previously decided not to receive a vaccine, can still choose to receive one. Governor DeWine emphasized the importance of every nursing home resident receiving a vaccine.

Long-term care facility visitation status is available on the dashboard at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

STATEWIDE CASE RATE

Governor DeWine announced that, statewide, Ohio is currently at a rate of 155 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people during the past two weeks. Last week, statewide data put Ohio at 180 cases per 100,000 people.

“In Ohio, we are still at a very elevated level of cases, but today’s health data is certainly trending in the right direction,” said Governor DeWine.

In an evening address last week, Governor DeWine announced that when Ohio reached 50 cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, all health orders will be lifted.

The Ohio Department of Health will update this data each Thursday.

RAPID TESTING

Governor DeWine today detailed four initiatives that are making rapid COVID-19 tests more accessible to Ohioans:

Federal Qualified Health Centers
- The state’s ongoing partnership with federally qualified health centers has led to the availability of over 150,000 rapid tests at community health centers. These centers have professionals on-hand to administer the tests free of charge.
Local Health Departments
- Local health departments have partnered with their communities to make at-home testing available to schools, nonprofit organizations, and first responders.
Public Libraries
- The state has recently partnered with public libraries to make at-home tests available to more Ohio communities. During the first two weeks, Ohio has partnering with 120 libraries.
K-12 Schools
- A new partnership launched today will bring 200,000 at-home tests to Educational Service Centers. To increase confidence and safety in schools, Governor DeWine encourages school districts to take advantage of this resource and develop aggressive testing plans.

Between libraries and local health departments, at-home testing is accessible in 76 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Some of these areas had disproportionate access to testing earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic.

GUIDANCE ON FAIRS

Governor DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health issued a revised order that allows for the reopening of all fair activities if certain health conditions are met. The updated order includes compliance with the statewide mask order and social distancing. Additionally, there will be a 25 percent maximum for indoor grandstand capacity and a 30 percent maximum for outdoor grandstand capacity.

Additionally, the Ohio Department of Health will issue updated order and guidance regarding festivals, parades, proms, and spring sports. For spring sports, students will not be required to quarantine because they have an incidental exposure to COVID-19 in a classroom unless symptoms develop.

These orders and guidance will be forthcoming from the Ohio Department of Health.

Update March 11, 2021 9:00 AM

Cleveland COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Clinic Now Accepting Reservations

Eligible Ohioans can sign up for the coronavirus mass vaccination clinic in Cleveland starting on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to schedule a vaccination appointment.

On March 5, 2021, Governor DeWine announced that an eight-week mass vaccination clinic with the capacity to administer 6,000 COVID-19 vaccines a day will open in Cleveland with support from the Biden administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The mass vaccination clinic will launch on March 17 at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. The location was recommended by Ohio and selected by FEMA based on its proximity to a large number of Ohio’s high-risk citizens and medically underserved populations. Approximately 1.1 million Ohioans ages 60 and older live in northeast Ohio, and of the more than 25,000 total Ohioans who live within one mile of the site, nearly 45 percent live below the poverty level.

Vaccine doses administered at the Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic will be in addition to Ohio’s regular statewide vaccine allotment that is distributed weekly to Ohio’s more than 1,250 established vaccine providers.

The Wolstein Center Mass Vaccination Clinic will operate seven days a week and will offer first doses of the Pfizer vaccine during the first three weeks of operations. Those vaccinated during that timeframe will be guaranteed a second dose during the fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks of the clinic. The brand of vaccine that will be supplied during the final two weeks of the clinic has not yet been determined.

Any Ohioan who is currently eligible to receive the vaccine under the Ohio Department of Health’s vaccination plan may be vaccinated at the clinic, but focus will be placed on ensuring that high-risk and underserved citizens in northeast Ohio have easy access to appointments. Ohioans will have multiple options for appointment scheduling, including in-person, phone, and online scheduling via Ohio’s forthcoming statewide online scheduling system. State, local, and federal partners will also deploy to high-risk communities that could be disproportionately impacted by the virus to offer information about the vaccine and to help schedule appointments.

To help those who may have difficulty getting transportation to the Wolstein Center, Cuyahoga County will work with the County Council to provide free bus passes through RTA and subsidize ride share services for people who call 2-1-1 and request transport to the Wolstein site for their vaccination appointment. Other forms of transportation will also be provided including transportation through the Senior Transportation Center and local churches.

Individuals can sign up to receive a vaccine at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.

For more information about Ohio’s vaccination plan, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

Update March 8, 2021 4:30 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHASE 1D AND PHASE 2B VACCINATION ELIGIBILITY

In response to significant increase in the amount of vaccine coming into Ohio, Governor DeWine today outlined the individuals who are included in Phase 1D and Phase 2B of Ohio’s vaccination plan, which will go into effect on Thursday, March 11.

Phase 1D includes approximately 197,000 eligible Ohioans with certain medical conditions not addressed in previous phases, including type 2 diabetes and end-stage renal disease.

Phase 2B will open vaccinations based on age for Ohioans ages 50 and older. This group includes approximately 1.2 million eligible Ohioans.

VACCINATION SCHEDULING TOOL

Governor DeWine announced today that Ohio’s centralized scheduling website is now available at gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov. The website will serve as a singular location for Ohioans to confirm that they are eligible to be vaccinated, identify nearby providers, and schedule their vaccine appointments.

“As we continue to receive more vaccines, having a centralized scheduling website will streamline the process, reduce data lags, and provide real-time information on vaccination progress across the state,” said Governor DeWine.

The Ohio Department of Health will continue to work directly with vaccine providers to integrate their current systems into the statewide system. Providers will be expected to use this system or another electronic scheduling system that interfaces with this portal.

The centralized scheduling website will also be used for scheduling appointments at the mass vaccination clinics, including the FEMA site in Cleveland, that were announced last week.

Outside partners, including the Area Agencies on Aging, will be available to help Ohioans who do not have access to the internet with appointment scheduling.

UMEPLOYMENT UPDATE

Governor DeWine announced the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has signed a contract with IBM to improve the unemployment call center. ODJFS has additionally signed a contract with LexisNexis to assist the department with on-going efforts to keep fraud out of the system.

Jeff Ficke, leader of the ODJFS Public-Private Partnership Team (P-3 Team), joined Governor DeWine to provide an update on improvements being made to Ohio’s unemployment system. Members of the ODJFS Public-Private Partnership Team include highly-skilled experts, most of whom are on loan from some of Ohio’s top banking and insurance companies.

Update March 5, 2021 3:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 68,166 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,398-3,938.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update March 5, 2021 1:45 PM

Governor DeWine Announces 15 Regional Mass Vaccination Sites to Open Across Ohio
Additional Pop-Up Mass Vaccination Clinics to Launch in Columbus and Cincinnati Mid-March

Governor Mike DeWine announced today that 15 long-term mass vaccination clinics will open throughout Ohio to significantly expand regional access to COVID-19 vaccines.

The state-sponsored mass vaccination clinics will be located in Lima, Maumee, Dayton, Columbus, Akron, Youngstown, Cincinnati, Chillicothe, Marietta, Wilmington, and Zanesville. Four mobile mass vaccination clinics will also make rounds in the areas of northwestern and west-central Ohio (Ada), southeastern Ohio (Athens), north-central Ohio (Mansfield), and east-central Ohio (Steubenville).

The state-sponsored, regional sites will be offered in addition to the eight-week mass vaccination clinic, which was announced earlier today, to open March 17 at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center.

“Mass vaccination clinics have always been part of our plan, but adequate supply is necessary for larger sites, so it was crucial that we first established local provider sites in all 88 counties to ensure that every citizen in every community has a provider nearby,” said Governor DeWine. “Now that we have more than 1,250 local vaccine providers and a significant increase in vaccine supply expected at the end of March, this is the right time to finalize and prepare to launch these large-scale regional clinics.”

The regional mass vaccination clinics, which will begin opening in the coming weeks as supply becomes available, will operate until they are no longer necessary.

The regional mass vaccination sites will be locally operated with support from the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Emergency Management Agency. Clinics will be equipped to administer between 300 and 3,000 vaccines a day depending on location, supply, and demand. Ohio’s established vaccine providers can also expect to see an increase in their vaccine allotment as supply increases, and vaccine doses may also be allotted to new providers.

Any Ohioan who is eligible to receive the vaccine under the Ohio Department of Health’s vaccination plan may be vaccinated at any of Ohio’s mass vaccination clinics. Ohio will also work closely with the clinics to ensure equitable access for high-risk residents and medically underserved communities that could be disproportionately impacted by the virus.

Several appointment-scheduling options will be available, including the use of Ohio’s forthcoming central scheduling system for some sites. The sites are not yet taking reservations, but specific instructions on how to book an appointment will be announced later this month. Dates of operation and hours will vary, but sites will offer both weekday and weekend appointments.

Governor DeWine also announced today that 50,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine will be dedicated to two pop-up mass vaccination sites in Columbus and Cincinnati. The pop-up clinics will open shortly after the March 17 start date of Cleveland’s mass vaccination site and will offer 12,500 first doses at each location. Those vaccinated during the Columbus and Cincinnati pop-up mass vaccination sites will be guaranteed a second dose. Exact site locations are pending.

The 50,000 vaccine doses for these pop-up mass vaccination clinics were initially required by the federal government to be set aside for use in Ohio’s more than 2,400 long-term care facilities as part of the federal long-term care program. Ohio was one of the first states to begin drawing from the unused long-term care vaccine supply to provide vaccines for the general population. Ohio has already administered nearly 160,000 reallocated doses from the program to the public.

A complete list of the selected regional mass vaccination clinic sites and associated local partners can be found at governor.ohio.gov.

For more information on Ohio’s vaccination plan, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

Update March 5, 2021 11:45 AM

Governor DeWine and FEMA Announce Mass Vaccination Clinic at CSU’s Wolstein Center
Regional State-Sponsored Mass Vaccination Sites to Be Announced at 1 p.m.

Governor Mike DeWine announced today that an eight-week mass vaccination clinic with the capacity to administer 6,000 COVID-19 vaccines a day will open in Cleveland this month with support from the Biden administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“Now that the supply of vaccine is significantly increasing, this is the perfect time for a large-scale clinic in Ohio to bolster our work to get shots in arms quickly, efficiently, and equitably. We welcome FEMA to Ohio and are grateful for their support and the support of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Cleveland State University as we continue down the road to recovery,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio has held several successful mass vaccination clinics, but this long-term clinic will reach the most people yet – particularly those in Ohio’s most vulnerable populations and those who face barriers in accessing health care. In addition to this new northeast Ohio site, we remain committed to ensuring that, no matter where you live, a vaccine provider is located nearby, and we’re strengthening that commitment by also launching several new state-sponsored mass vaccination sites in other areas of the state.”

Governor DeWine will announce details of these regional state-sponsored mass vaccination sites during a special media availability at the Wolstein Center at 1 p.m today.

The Ohio Department of Health, Ohio National Guard, and Ohio Emergency Management Agency will manage the Wolstein Center site with support from FEMA, the U.S. Department of Defense, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Cleveland State University.

“This mass vaccination site in Cleveland reflects a truly collaborative, federally supported, state managed and locally executed effort,” said Kevin M. Sligh, acting regional administrator, FEMA Region 5. “FEMA and our federal partners are committed to increasing COVID-19 vaccine access in socially vulnerable and underserved communities in Ohio and across the country, with an overall goal of ensuring anyone who wants a vaccine can get one.”

“I thank President Biden and Governor DeWine for their leadership and commitment to making the availability of COVID-19 vaccines a priority,” said Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. “This type of large-scale site is essential as more people become eligible for vaccination and as new strains of the virus are discovered in our communities. We ask that you continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, social distance, and stay home if you can. These preventative measures coupled with the increasing availability of vaccines will help us slow the spread of COVID-19.”

“This is an exciting development for the people of our region. It has been a long, hard road and we aren’t over it yet,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish. “We still need to follow all the protocols we know work while we wait for more people to get vaccinated, but I am pleased to say that with this new mass vaccination site, the light at the end of the tunnel just got a lot brighter.”

“We stand front and center with our mayor, county executive, and Governor DeWine in serving our community in this important way,” said Cleveland State University President Harlan M. Sands. “As Cleveland’s public research institution, providing these critical vaccinations is mission-central for CSU.”

For more information about Ohio’s vaccination plan, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

Update March 4, 2021 7:00 PM

Governor DeWine Urges Ohioans to Remain Committed to Safety Practices, Announces Measurement for Lifting Health Orders

In a statewide address to Ohioans Thursday evening, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine urged Ohioans to remain committed to following COVID-19 safety practices as Ohio cases trend downward, and detailed the measurement needed to lift all Ohio Department of Health orders.

“This has been a very tough year for Ohioans, yet we did what Ohioans always do– we rallied together to protect the most vulnerable,” said Governor DeWine. “The end of our fight is now in view, but we must continue pressing forward. We can set realistic goals that we are within reach for lifting health orders.”

Governor DeWine announced that when Ohio reaches 50 cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, all health orders will be lifted. Cases per 100,000 people for a two-week period is a measurement that Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health have utilized since early in the pandemic.

Governor DeWine also detailed the success that Ohio has seen recently in the COVID-19 pandemic. Ohio’s stay-at-home order and curfew have been lifted, and restaurants, bars and gyms are open. In February, Ohio vaccinated over 200,000 educators for students to return to in-person learning. As of today, nearly 95 percent of Ohio’s K-12 students have returned to school for in-person learning.

For Governor DeWine’s entire address, visit ohiochannel.org or read his prepared remarks at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Update March 2, 2021 1:45 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed the following public health orders:

First Amended Revised Order to Limit and/or Prohibit Mass Gatherings in the State of Ohio, with Exceptions.

Changes include:

Wedding receptions, funeral repasts, proms, and other events, whether or not food is served, at banquet facilities shall comply with previously signed health orders, including those regarding restaurants and facial coverings.
Events at banquet centers no longer have a 300-person limitation, so long as they comply with other health orders.

Addenda to Director’s Second Amended Order that Provides Mandatory Requirements for Youth, Collegiate, Amateur, Club, and Professional Sports and Provides Mandatory Requirements for Entertainment Venues.

Changes include:

The maximum number of spectators in any indoor sports venue shall be 25% of fixed, seated capacity.
The maximum number of spectators permitted in any outdoor sports venue shall be 30% of fixed, seated capacity.
The maximum number of patrons permitted in any indoor entertainment venue shall be 25% of fixed, seated capacity.
The maximum number of patrons gathered in any outdoor entertainment venue shall be 30% fixed, seated capacity.

Both orders are effective beginning 12:01 p.m. on March 2, 2021.

Update March 1, 2021 4:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACCINE AVAILABILITY

Governor DeWine announced today that Ohio is expected to receive more than 448,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine this week. Of that total, more than 96,000 doses of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be delivered to around 200 new independent pharmacy providers as well as chain pharmacies, hospitals, and health departments.

Ohio now offers more than 1,200 provider locations. Ohioans can find vaccine provider locations at vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov. Those who do not have access to the internet or are having trouble managing the online scheduling systems should call their local health department, the 211 helpline center, or the Area Agencies on Aging at 1-866-243-5678.

PHASE 1C AND PHASE 2 VACCINATION ELIGIBILITY

In response to this significant increase in the amount of vaccine coming into Ohio, Governor DeWine today outlined the individuals who are included in Phase 1C and Phase 2 of Ohio’s vaccination plan which will go into effect on March 4.

Phase 1C includes approximately 246,000 eligible Ohioans with certain occupations and with certain medical conditions not addressed in previous phases.

Phase 1C: Medical Groups

Type 1 diabetes
Pregnant women
Bone marrow transplant recipients
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

Phase 1C: Occupations

Childcare Services – Approximately 40,400 Ohioans:

Administrators, lead and assistant teachers, and substitutes who are enrolled in Ohio’s Professional Registry who are currently working in open childcare and pre-kindergarten programs.
Licensing specialists employed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services or county job and family services agencies.

This phase does not include parent volunteers, board members, or owners/administrators that do not provide in-classroom supports.

Funeral Services – Approximately 3,600 Ohioans:

Embalmers/morticians, funeral home directors, crematory operators, and apprentices.

Law Enforcement and Corrections Officers – Approximately 76,000 Ohioans:

Examples of law enforcement occupations included in Phase 1C are police officers; sheriff’s deputies; Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers; other state or federal enforcement officers such as Ohio Department of Natural Resource enforcement staff, pharmacy board investigators, BCI agents, state fire marshal investigators, federal transportation security officers, and other federal law enforcement officers who do not have access to vaccination from federal sources.

Phase 2

Because the risk of more severe reactions and outcomes of COVID-19 increase with age, Phase 2 will open vaccinations based on age, beginning with Ohioans ages 60 and older. This group includes approximately 695,000 eligible Ohioans.

FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE & BIASED FUND ALLOCATION

Lt. Governor Jon Husted outlined provisions in the federal stimulus package recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that if signed into law would disproportionally and negatively impact Ohio and its recovery.

This $1.9 trillion COVID Relief Bill provides significant additional relief funding for state and local governments, however, the as-passed version adopted by Congress distributes the $350 billion in coronavirus relief funding to state and local governments using a formula that incorporates state unemployment rates as of the fourth quarter of 2020, instead of using a solely population-based formula.

As a result, this benefits states with higher unemployment rates during that period.

Under the current proposal, because Ohio’s December 2020 unemployment rate was 5.5 percent, the state will miss out on over $800 million compared to if a more equitable population-based formula was used, as was used for the CARES Act.

Over the weekend, governors across the country, including Governor DeWine, released a joint statement opposing the new standard in the federal stimulus bill for how federal funds would be allocated to states:

The statement reiterates that “the new stimulus proposal allocates aid based on a state’s unemployed population rather than its actual population, which punishes states that took a measured approach to the pandemic and entered the crisis with healthy state budgets and strong economies.”

There are 33 states expected to lose funding under this proposal.

OHIO DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES

Kim Henderson, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, will be relocating to North Carolina in the spring. She will remain in the director role until Monday, March 8. Matt Damschroder, current director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), will move into an interim director role at that time. Henderson will become a senior advisor to him until her last day on April 30th.

A nationwide search will be launched for Director Henderson’s permanent replacement. Until that search concludes, Assistant DAS Director Matt Whatley will work as interim director at DAS.

Update February 26, 2021 3:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 66,777 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,325-3,866.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update February 25, 2021 4:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPRING EVENTS

Governor DeWine today announced a loosening of restrictions for sporting and entertainment venues when safety protocols are followed.

“The vaccines have given us great hope, but until we have enough Ohioans vaccinated, we must continue masking and social distancing,” said Governor DeWine. “Easing up on some prevention measures is intended to serve as a starting point. If the trajectory of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continues downward, we hope to be able to relax more of these measures. If it gets worse, we may have to tighten up.”

Sporting and entertainment events will be able to reopen with 25 percent maximum indoor capacity and 30 percent maximum outdoor capacity provided they follow established precautions such as mandatory mask wearing for employees and customers, spectator pathways that allow for social distancing, and seating in groups in six-foot intervals of no more than six people from the same household.

General admission (lawns, standing room, infields) will be permitted if masks are worn and if six-foot distancing can be marked and maintained.

New guidance for proms, banquets, wedding receptions, fairs, festivals, and parades is forthcoming.

PROVIDER EXPANSION

Next week, Ohio will receive 310,000 first doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. With this increase in doses, Ohio will add additional new vaccine provider sites including some Meijer and Walmart locations and more independent pharmacies.

Providers that are currently receiving vaccines – including RiteAid, Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, local health departments, and hospitals – can anticipate larger shipments.

Based on information provided by the federal government, once the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available, Ohio will receive an additional 91,000 doses during the first week.

SCHOOL UPDATE

As of this week, all doses requested by schools through the state’s vaccination program have been allocated to local providers. Some school staff already received their second dose, and other second dose clinics are underway.

Ohio began making vaccines available to K-12 teachers this month with the goal of having all of Ohio’s K-12 students back to full or partial in-person learning by March 1. Right now, most students in Ohio districts have access to at least some in-person instruction.

Governor DeWine expressed gratitude to school leaders who have prioritized a return to in-person instruction. Ohio will continue to work with the handful of schools across the state that are struggling to meet the March 1 goal.

NURSING HOME CASES/HOSPITALIZATIONS

Ohio continues to see downward COVID-19 hospitalization trends, particularly in the 80+ age group which was among the first groups to become eligible for the vaccine. In December, those 80+ made up more than 25 percent of Ohio’s COVID hospitalizations. This month, that number has dropped to about 18 percent.

Ohio is also seeing a decline in COVID cases among nursing home residents. In the past week, Ohio had 369 new nursing home cases, compared to 2,832 new cases in one week in December.

As part of the new COVID-19 Vaccine Maintenance Program, Ohio will continue vaccinating new nursing home residents, new staff hires, and those who have recently decided to take the vaccine.

Due to the decrease in cases reported in long-term care facilities, Ohio’s Veterans Homes in Sandusky and Georgetown have resumed accepting new residents, and certain restrictions on visitors at state behavioral health hospitals will be lifted beginning on March 1.

HEALTH EQUITY WEBSITE

Governor DeWine announced the launch of a new health equity website on coronavirus.ohio.gov that highlights Ohio’s efforts to achieve equity in its pandemic response and provides resources to help communities, agencies, and organizations across the state join in those efforts.

The new Communications Resources Hub will offer various print, digital, audio, and video resources to help Ohioans provide education about the vaccine to any number of communities. In addition to general resources, the website offers materials created for specific groups, including minorities and Ohioans who speak English as a second language.

OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM

For the first time in several weeks, Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System has shown change in the amount of spread in some Ohio counties. Holmes, Mercer, Shelby, and Williams counties decreased to a Level 2 (Orange) Public Health Emergency.

TECHCRED

Lt. Governor Jon Husted today reminded Ohioans about the benefits of TechCred, which helps Ohioans learn new in-demand skills while also helping employers build a stronger workforce with the skills needed in a technology-infused economy.

There are more than 1,000 pre-approved credentials offered through the program. These technology-focused credentials take only a year or less to complete and prepare current and future employees for the technology jobs Ohio employers need.

Businesses can be reimbursed up to $2,000 for each credential earned by an employee and up to $30,000 total each application period.

To learn more, visit: TechCred.Ohio.Gov.

Update February 22, 2021 4:30 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WEATHER DELAY UPDATE

Due to last week’s winter weather, the delivery of some Pfizer vaccines and all Moderna vaccines were delayed. Some providers used second doses that they had already received to avoid clinic cancelations. Those second doses will be backfilled with the shipments they receive this week.

Additional delayed shipments of Pfizer and Moderna will arrive between today and Wednesday.

For providers who canceled appointments last week, Governor DeWine is urging them to expand their appointment schedules to include evening and weekend hours to catch up.

NURSING HOME VISITATION

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio’s nursing homes has dropped significantly to 343 new cases last week compared to the peak of 2,832 new cases in December.

As the number of nursing-home cases continues to drop due to vaccinations in long-term facilities, Governor DeWine today reminded nursing home staff and families of nursing home residents about the status of visitation in Ohio’s nursing homes. Visitation is permitted at nursing homes in Ohio if the facilities meet the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) criteria to allow visits:

No new onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days;
The facility is not currently conducting outbreak testing; and
CMS reports the COVID-19 county positivity rate at less than 10 percent.

Compassionate care visits, which are special visits in which a family member or other visitor provides comfort, support, and assistance to a resident whose well-being is suffering or at risk, are always permitted regardless of the criteria above.

Governor DeWine sent a letter today to all nursing homes in Ohio reminding them to check their county positivity rate every week to determine their visitation status and to remind them to allow for compassionate care visits.

Ohio’s nursing home facilities are required to report their visitation status to Ohio’s Long-Term Care Visitation Dashboard.

If you have a loved one in need of a compassionate care visit but are having trouble scheduling a visit, contact Ohio’s Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman at OhioOmbudsman@age.ohio.gov or 1-800-282-1206.

PROGRESSION OF VACCINE ELIGIBILITY

Governor DeWine provided information on the progression of vaccine eligibility in Ohio. Because those ages 65 and older make up approximately 87 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in Ohio, no additional age groups are eligible for the vaccine at this time. Once the demand for the vaccine has been met for those 65 and older, those ages 60 and older will become eligible. After a period of vaccination for this age group, those ages 55 and older will become eligible, followed by those ages 50 and up.

Individuals in specific small groups that could have an increased risk of exposure to the virus may also potentially be included in the 60 and older vaccination phase.

PHASE 1B MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Last week, vaccine eligibility opened up to those Ohioans born with or who have early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood, which put them at higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. Today, Governor DeWine asked Ohio hospitals and doctors with access to the vaccine to begin to proactively reach out to these patients with the specific medical conditions outlined in Phase 1B to schedule vaccination.

OTHER PRIORITY POPULATIONS

In Ohio’s eight state-operated developmental centers, more than 91 percent of residents have accepted their first vaccine.

More than 14,000 Ohioans living with developmental and intellectual disabilities who also have a certain health condition they were born with or developed in childhood and carried into adulthood have also received their first dose of vaccine.

Ohio is working to complete the vaccination of residents and staff in congregate settings for residential treatment facilities, mental health residential care facilities, and recovery housing.

Update February 19, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 66,618 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,290-3,791.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update February 18, 2021 4:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WEATHER DELAYS

As a result of continued bad weather, vaccine shipments in Ohio and across the country continue to be delayed. Ohioans with vaccine appointments this week should confirm that their appointment has not been canceled before leaving home.

Because of these weather delays, it is expected that providers will give vaccinations over the weekend as shipments arrive.

VACCINE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

This morning, Ohio launched its COVID-19 Vaccine Maintenance Program for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Each month, facilities can host a vaccine clinic for residents and staff if there is the need for vaccinations. The program ensures that vaccinations in long-term care facilities continue for new residents and staff or current residents and staff who have now decided to be vaccinated.

NURSING HOME VISITATION

Governor DeWine announced that he has assembled a team of doctors and nurses to develop a plan for safe nursing home visitation. Members of the team are experts in infectious disease control, skilled nursing, and other types of long-term care settings.

Ohio’s existing visitation order does allow compassionate care visits. Examples of compassionate care situations could include:

A resident who was living with their family before recently being admitted to a home, is struggling with the change in environment and lack of physical family support.
A resident who needs cueing and encouragement with eating or drinking, previously provided by family or caregiver(s), is experiencing weight loss or dehydration.
A resident, who used to talk and interact with others, is experiencing emotional distress, seldom speaking, or crying more frequently.

The Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman is available to assist citizens with questions about compassionate care visits. The office can be reached at OhioOmbudsman@age.ohio.gov or 1-800-282-1206.

PHASE 1B MEDICAL CONDITIONS

This week, vaccine eligibility opened up to Ohioans born with the medical conditions outlined below, or those who were diagnosed in early childhood whose conditions continued into adulthood. Following anecdotal reports of individuals with these conditions being denied vaccination appointments, particularly those with cystic fibrosis, Governor DeWine stressed that vaccine providers should vaccinate those of any age with any of the following conditions.

VACCINE DATA COLLECTION

Governor DeWine again asked vaccine providers to collect and report accurate and complete data on vaccine administrations including race, ethnicity, age, and category of eligibility. This information is critical to understanding uptake rates among specific communities or occupations and also helps inform future policy and allocation decisions. The Ohio Department of Health will continue to reach out to all providers to make sure this critical information is being entered into the system.

Update February 16, 2021 4:45 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WEATHER DELAYS

Due to severe weather across Ohio and the country, both Pfizer and Moderna have advised that direct vaccine shipments to providers may be delayed one to two days. The Ohio Department of Health has contacted all providers that are expecting direct shipments to notify them of these potential delays.

Vaccine providers scheduled to receive a vaccine parcel today from Ohio’s Receipt, Store, and Stage (RSS) Warehouse are receiving their deliveries on a two-hour delay.

Many providers are continuing with their scheduled vaccination appointments, but some have canceled appointments due to snow emergencies. These providers are contacting patients by phone call, email, or by posting on social media. Ohioans who haven’t heard from their provider and are concerned about whether or not their appointment is still scheduled should contact their provider or visit their website. Ohioans who need to cancel their vaccination for any reason should contact their provider to reschedule.

CENTRAL SCHEDULING SYSTEM UPDATE

Governor DeWine announced today that Ohio’s centralized scheduling website has been created, and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is now working with vaccine providers to enroll them in the system. The website will serve as a singular location for Ohioans to confirm that they are eligible to be vaccinated, identify nearby providers, and schedule their vaccine appointment.

Ohio and approximately 40 other states chose not to use the centralized system that the federal government intended to develop. Instead, Ohio chose to build its own centralized scheduling system. Despite the significant build time and configuration, the system was built within Ohio’s intended timeframe.

ODH will work directly with vaccine providers to integrate their current systems into the statewide system and assist them in working through current waitlists to potentially integrate these commitments into the centralized system. Providers will be expected to use this system as Ohio looks to the future, and guidance will be provided in the near future regarding deadlines.

“Once most participating providers have signed up, the next phase will be to make the site live to those seeking to be vaccinated,” said Governor DeWine. “Our goal is for Ohioans to have a positive customer experience when we launch the site to make appointments.”

Outside partners, including the Area Agencies on Aging, will be available to help Ohioans who do not have access to the internet with appointment scheduling.

VIRTUAL TOWNHALLS

As part of Ohio’s continuing efforts to ensure equity in Ohio’s vaccination program, ODH is holding virtual town hall meetings focused on specific minority communities. These virtual meetings will involve local medical professionals and community leaders who will guide these conversations to discuss the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The meetings are intended to jumpstart conversations and give local leaders and attendees the tools they need to better inform members of their communities about vaccine facts, enhance access to trusted resources, and drive conversations in their own communities about why vaccinations are important.

The town halls will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube. More details are available at coronavirus.ohio.gov/townhall.

Update February 12, 2021 8:00 PM

DeWine Urges School Districts to Keep Their Commitments to In-Person Learning by March 1st

Governor Mike DeWine today reminded school district officials who partnered with the state to make COVID-19 vaccine available to their teachers and qualified school personnel that they committed to returning to in-person learning by March 1^st.

“The priorities of our vaccination program have been to save lives and to get our students back in classrooms. We know quite simply there is not enough vaccine. But we have prioritized vaccinating teachers in order to get students back in school, because too many are suffering academically and emotionally,” said Governor DeWine. “School districts should honor the voluntary commitment they made to their students, their teachers, and their communities and open their classrooms if they chose to make vaccinations available to their staffs. By prioritizing school personnel, fewer doses are available to our older or more vulnerable Ohioans.”

In December, 45% of Ohio students were in fully remote schools. Today, that number is 5.1%. The number of districts that are fully remote has moved from 219 in the first week of January to only 31 this week.

Update February 12, 2021 3:00 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 64,358 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,235-3,728.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update February 11, 2021 5:30 PM

Health Amended Order Reopening Food Service Stations Signed

Governor Mike DeWine today announced that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed the Addendum to Director’s Third Amended Order that Reopens Restaurants, Bars, Banquet and Catering Facilities and Services to Dine-In Service, with Exceptions.

This amended order, reopens self-service food stations in restaurants, bars, banquet and catering facilities, and services, as long as the following conditions are met:

Customers must wear facial coverings while using self-service food stations or in line for self-service food stations. Those unable to wear a facial covering must be served by an employee.
Buffet tables/salad bars must be spaced a minimum of 6 feet away from customer seating/tables, and lines must not extend into seating areas.
Customer flow at buffet tables/salad bars must move in one direction with a beginning point and ending point, and customers must maintain at least 6 feet of social distancing while in line. Directional signage must be posted indicating where the customer line begins.
Hand sanitizer must be placed at self-serve food stations, including at the front of the line and end of the line of buffet tables/salad bars, and used by customers prior to, and after, serving themselves.
At least 6 feet of social distancing must be maintained between seated customers and customers in line for a buffet/salad bar and monitored by employees.
Serving utensils must be replaced or cleaned and sanitized at least hourly. It is recommended that customers use disposable napkins, tissues, wax paper, etc., when handling serving utensils, and operators of self-service food stations are encouraged to make them available. A trash receptacle should be conveniently located.
Use of individually packaged condiments is recommended instead of shared or bulk condiment dispensers.
Commonly touched surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized frequently.
While in operation, self-serve areas must be continually monitored by staff who are trained in food safety, including monitoring customer hand sanitizing practices at the self-service food station.
Food must be protected from contamination, including sneeze guards on self-serve equipment.
Signage must be placed at self-service food stations requiring customers to use hand sanitizer before and after serving themselves, and to maintain at least 6 feet of social distancing while in line. The signage should recommend that customers use disposable napkins, tissues, wax paper, etc., when handling serving utensils. A sample sign is available on Ohio’s coronavirus website at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/responsible-restart-ohio/Posters-and-Signs (food service operations and retail food establishments may choose to develop their own signage).

The order goes into effect on February 11, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.

Update February 11, 2021 4:15 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACCINE DISTRIBUTION UPDATE

Governor DeWine announced today that Ohio received a total of 214,525 first doses of vaccine this week. A total of 223,025 first doses are scheduled to arrive in Ohio during the week of February 15.

The federal retail pharmacy program will soon begin allotting doses to Ohio’s more than 160 Rite Aid pharmacies. Vaccine distribution will also expand into all 194 Kroger pharmacies.

Those with specific medical conditions that put them at a very high risk of dying from COVID-19 will be eligible for vaccinations next week.

Ohioans born with the medical conditions outlined below, or those who were diagnosed in early childhood whose conditions continued into adulthood, will qualify to be vaccinated beginning on February 15.

Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer at Ohio Department of Health, explained these conditions in more detail. His remarks are available on the Ohio Channel’s YouTube page.

Approximately 12,000 individuals with these severe medical conditions and developmental disabilities have already been vaccinated, and vaccinations of those in this group will continue.

NURSING HOME CASES

Governor DeWine announced today that the number of COVID-19 cases in Ohio’s nursing homes has dropped more than 77 percent since late November. This dramatic drop in cases follows Ohio’s aggressive efforts to vaccinate residents and staff in Ohio’s long-term care facilities.

There were 2,697 COVID-19 cases in long-term care facilities in Ohio during the week of November 29, 2021. During the week of January 17, there were 612 positive cases.

SCHOOL MODEL UPDATE

Governor DeWine shared the latest information on the number of school districts that are physically in school versus those that are fully or partially remote. As a condition to receive priority access to the vaccine, schools were required to commit to full or partial in-person learning by March 1. All but one school district in Ohio have committed to this plan.

OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM

There was no change in this week’s Ohio Public Health Advisory System map. A county-by-county breakdown outlining the presence of COVID-19 in all of Ohio’s 88 counties can be found on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System’s website.

APPRENTICEOHO MILESTONE

Lt. Governor Husted shared that the ApprenticeOhio program has reached an important milestone. More than 5,000 Ohioans have officially graduated from the ApprenticeOhio program since the start of the DeWine-Husted Administration.

Ohio is currently ranked number one among states who run registered apprenticeships at the state level, and number four among states who run registered apprenticeships at the federal level. Many ApprenticeOhio programs are completed within two to four years. ApprenticeOhio programs provide full-time work during the training period as well as competitive wages – allowing Ohioans to earn while they learn.

On average, apprentices in Ohio earn $60,000 a year without racking up student loan debt. Ohio offers apprenticeship opportunities in traditional fields like construction and manufacturing, and non-traditional apprenticeship fields like IT and healthcare. Through this program, ApprenticeOhio program sponsors can grow their workforce, improve productivity, reduce turnover costs and increase employee retention.

More information can be found at Apprentice.Ohio.gov.

Update February 10, 2021 2:30 PM

Mayor Meghan F. George issued the following statement regarding legislation introduced today in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform:

I am encouraged by this legislation and the progress it indicates toward funding COVID relief for local governments. The City of Lakewood needs this support. Last week, I reached out to our congressional delegation and asked them to use their platforms to advocate on our behalf for this funding because it is important, not just to the functioning of City Hall, but for our ability to keep Lakewood a safe, healthy, and thriving place where people want to live, work, and visit. Now, I implore the House Oversight and Reform Committee to pass this legislation out of committee and onto the full House of Representatives for a vote, with COVID relief funding for local governments kept whole.

Update February 9, 2021 5:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

K-12 PROGRESS

Governor DeWine announced progress toward the goal of getting K-12 students back into the classroom by March 1. In December, 45 percent of Ohio students were attending school remotely full-time, but today, less than 15 percent of Ohio students are still attending classes completely online. Despite this progress, the pandemic has taken a toll on academic progress, as demonstrated in the Ohio Department of Education’s fall 2020 enrollment report.

“This once-in-a-lifetime pandemic has impacted all of us, so it should be no surprise that it has impacted our children. But we should not panic, nor should we be surprised by the results of assessments,” said Governor DeWine. “Instead, we should do what Ohioans have always done when facing a challenge – stay calm, roll up our sleeves, and work to solve the problem.”

Governor DeWine asked school districts to work with their communities to help students advance and make up for any learning that may have been lost or delayed because of the pandemic.

Governor DeWine also requested that school districts design plans to meet the needs of the students in their districts that include ending the school year later than scheduled, beginning the new year early, or even extending the school day. Summer programs, tutoring, or remote options could also be considered. School districts should provide their plans to the public and General Assembly no later than April 1.

Lt. Governor Husted today also highlighted a provision in the proposed Executive Budget that guarantees student access to a computer science education.

The “right to access” computer science classes would be defined as the statutory right of a student to be able to take a class either offered directly by their school district or through another provider of the student’s choice. However, the program must be approved through the Ohio Department of Education.

“Every budget cycle presents an opportunity to distinguish ourselves as a state,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Coming out of the pandemic, the stakes are higher and the impacts more consequential. We must rise to the challenge and commit to the work that will lead to an educational recovery that will echo economically for a generation.”

RENT ASSISTANCE

The Ohio Development Services Agency is now distributing $100 million in federal funding to help low-income Ohioans who do not own their own home pay their rent, water, sewer, wastewater, electric, gas, oil and/or trash removal bills.

Ohioans can apply for assistance with outstanding balances dating back to March 13, 2020, assistance for future rent/utility payments once back bills have been made current, and assistance for future rent and utility assistance for three months at a time.

Eligible Ohio households must:

Be at or below 80% of their county’s Area Median Income (varies by county and size of household);
Have experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19; and
Demonstrate a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

The funding, which was approved by the Ohio Controlling Board for distribution, will be divided among Ohio’s 47 Community Action Agencies. Ohioans can apply for assistance by contacting their local Community Action Agency. A list of agencies can be found at businesshelp.ohio.gov under Home Relief Grants.

MAINTENANCE COVID-19 VACCINE PROGRAM

Governor DeWine announced that Ohio’s maintenance COVID-19 vaccine program plan to ensure residents and staff within nursing homes and assisted living facilities have continuing access to the life-saving vaccine is nearly complete. The plan will outline how nursing homes and assisted living facilities will move forward to vaccinate new residents, new workers, and workers who initially declined the vaccine but are now willing to be vaccinated. The plan will leverage existing relationships between nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and the pharmacies that regularly provide them with prescription drugs.

In preparation for the release of this plan, Governor DeWine urged administrators for long-term and assisted-living facilities to find out if their facility already has a pharmacy provider that can administer the vaccine. If the provider is not a COVID vaccine provider, they should determine if they intend to become one.

Since the pandemic began, individuals in long-term care settings, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, have been at the greatest risk of death from COVID-19. Over 50 percent of Ohio’s deaths have been individuals from long-term care settings.

To protect family members and loved ones in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, Ohio immediately activated the federal long-term care vaccination program in mid-December. First and second doses of the vaccine have been administered in nearly all of Ohio’s nursing homes and most of Ohio’s assisted living centers.

Update February 5, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 62,588 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,178-3,626.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update February 4, 2021 5:00 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACCINE UPDATE

Ohio is among the top five states for delivering COVID-19 vaccine doses to long-term care facility residents. As a result of this aggressive effort to vaccinate those in long-term care, Ohio is beginning to see a drop in cases.

Pfizer has notified Ohio that they believe they will increase their shipment of vaccine by 40 percent around mid-to-late February. Shipments could additionally increase even more by the end of March. Pfizer is currently shipping approximately 73,000 doses to Ohio per week.

Moderna doses have increased from 73,200 two weeks ago to 105,600 doses that are expected next week.

Ohio was one of the first states to draw unused doses from the long-term care program, and those 77,000 extra doses are being delivered this week to select CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.

ODJFS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TEAM

Governor DeWine announced the formation of a new Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Public-Private Partnership Team to improve Ohioans’ experiences with the unemployment system.

Members of the team will include highly-skilled experts, most of whom are on loan from some of Ohio’s top banking and insurance companies:

Fifth Third Bank
Nationwide
Western & Southern Financial Group
Encova Insurance
KeyBank

Pat Tiberi, President and CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable, worked with business leaders to identify the best talent for the partnership team who have experience in large organizations’ call centers, claims processes, and fraud detection.

“These experts will provide recommendations and solutions to improve the call center, claims process, and fraud detection efforts in the state unemployment system,” said Governor DeWine. “They’ll examine short-term and long-term improvements. Our goal is quick action while keeping an eye on the long-term best processes going forward, and we will continue working to improve the unemployment system so that eligible Ohioans in need can receive the financial assistance they are counting on during this pandemic.”

The team currently has around 16 members but is expected to grow.

UNEMPLOYMENT UPDATE

This week, Ohio has paid out nearly $100 million to more than 110,000 Ohioans receiving traditional unemployment. This represents some extended weeks of benefits plus an additional $300 a week, which were included with the new federal aid.

Starting this Saturday, more than 155,000 Ohioans will also start seeing benefits from this new federal aid package. This includes Ohioans who recently lost a job as a result of the pandemic as well as Ohioans who continue to be impacted due to the pandemic.

By the last week in February, all Ohioans impacted by unemployment will have the ability to claim all the weeks and supplements available under the law and receive the benefits they are owed.

OPIOID SETTLEMENT

Governor DeWine also commented on Ohio’s $24.7 million settlement with McKinsey & Co. for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. The settlement is part of a $573 million national settlement encompassing 47 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories.

Settlement funds will be distributed as part of the OneOhio plan which focuses funding to programs that address prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery as well as criminal justice and public awareness costs that promote the overall health and well-being of Ohioans.

Ohio was one of the first states to file lawsuits against the opioid manufacturers and distributers that pushed millions of addictive pills into Ohio. Last year, the state developed the OneOhio partnership with Ohio townships, villages, cities, and counties that filed suit against these same companies.

“Although McKinsey was not a part of the lawsuits that brought Ohio together under the OneOhio plan, I am pleased that Attorney General Dave Yost has decided to leverage this recent settlement to start the work of OneOhio and begin the development of a statewide foundation,” said Governor DeWine. “We remain committed to holding these drug manufacturers and distributors accountable. When the settlements for those cases happen, Ohio will be ready to implement the necessary funding, programs, and services for Ohio’s communities.”

Update February 2, 2021 5:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

EQUITY UPDATE

Governor DeWine today outlined steps that Ohio has taken and will take to address inequities in healthcare as they relate to vaccine accessibility.

“There are Ohioans who simply do not have equal access to healthcare,” said Governor DeWine. “We have worked hard to address these gaps, especially in our efforts to roll out the vaccine, but there is still more to do.”

Geography: Instead of offering the “mega vaccination sites” being seen in other states, Ohio’s vaccination plan focuses on ensuring that there are multiple vaccine providers in every county in the state. This week, more than 700 providers across Ohio are receiving the vaccine to help ensure that Ohioans have access to vaccine close to home.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs): These health centers serve highly vulnerable neighborhoods. Ohio’s vaccination plan offers vaccines at these facilities for equitable distribution. More than 60 of these centers are receiving vaccine this week.

Pop-up Vaccine Sites: Ohio is working with FQHCs, faith-based communities, and local health departments to pilot pop-up vaccination sites in at-risk communities. Two sites were hosted at an FQHC in Columbus last week and another pop-up vaccination site is scheduled this week in Cleveland.

Transportation: The Ohio Department of Health is working with the Ohio Department of Medicaid to provide transportation options for those who want to receive the vaccine but face transportation barriers.

Local Health Departments: Many local health departments are prioritizing underserved populations by partnering with organizations that work to serve African American, Hispanic and Latino, and other underserved populations to provide education and offer opportunities for vaccination when vaccine becomes available.

Education and Communication Strategies: In addition to newspaper, television, and radio advertisements focused on reaching underserved populations, Ohio will also launch a series of virtual town hall meetings to gain a better understanding of the barriers to vaccination and develop solutions. The events will be coordinated in partnership with Ohio’s Minority Health Vaccine Advisory Group, whose mission is to help advise the Ohio Department of Health on how to best deliver the vaccine to underserved populations and better ensure equity. The townhalls will be live-streamed during the week of February 22. To learn how to participate in these events, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Affordable Housing Vaccination Clinics: Next week, the Ohio Department of Aging, in partnership with key state and local organizations, will offer on-site vaccination clinics at affordable senior housing communities as part of its Regional Rapid Response Program. On-site clinics will be coordinated with support from the Ohio National Guard.

VACCINATION STATUS UPDATE

Governor DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine both received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine this morning from Dr. Kevin Sharrett at Kettering Health Network’s Jamestown office in Greene County. The DeWines became eligible for the vaccine this week as part of the 70 and older age group.

Those currently eligible to receive vaccine in Ohio are:

Those 70 years of age and older
Teachers and school personnel who are necessary for in-person learning in specified counties
Individuals with severe congenital, early-onset, or inherited conditions and with developmental or intellectual disabilities

Individuals with severe congenital, early-onset, or inherited conditions and developmental or intellectual disabilities should have been contacted by their local county board of developmental disabilities to schedule their vaccination. If you believe that you or a loved one falls into this category and hasn’t been contacted, please contact your county board of developmental disabilities.

NURSING/ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES

Of Ohio’s 920 skilled nursing facilities, Ohio has administered first doses of vaccine in 100 percent of these facilities. The second dose has been given in 89 percent of facilities.

Of Ohio’s 645 assisted living facilities, Ohio has administered first doses in 86 percent of these facilities, and second doses have been administered in 48 percent of facilities.

Plans are in place to continue vaccinating in these facilities as new residents move in.

LONG-TERM CARE REVACCINATIONS

Today, Walgreens Pharmacy alerted the Ohio Department of Health that vaccines that had not been stored under the proper cold storage conditions were administered yesterday to some residents in five long-term care facilities. Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, residents who received these vaccines will be revaccinated.

The impacted facilities are:

Ashtabula County Residential Services Corp “The Maples” in Kingsville
Ashtabula Towers in Ashtabula
Heather Hill Care Communities in Chardon
Six Chimneys in Cleveland
Willow Park Convalescent Home in Cleveland

Update January 29, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 60,388 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 2,082-3,506.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update January 29, 2021 3:00 PM

Vaccination Schedule For Ohio Schools Announced

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio K-12 schools, including public, private, and career-tech entities, today learned when their teachers and staff necessary for in-person learning are able to begin receiving vaccines.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has made clear his goal of Ohio returning to in-person learning either full-time or in a hybrid model by March 1st. In order to do this, the governor identified teachers and school personnel necessary for in-person learning as Phase 1B recipients as part of the Ohio COVID-19 Vaccination program.

“Vaccine is incredibly scarce, and we simply don’t have enough to vaccinate everyone at the same time. Therefore, this will be a rolling process, just like it has been during other vaccination phases, with a goal of administering all first doses by March 1^st,” said Governor DeWine. “This rollout schedule is a heavy logistical lift that aims to ensure the maximum number of people can be vaccinated in the shortest amount of time.”

The plan also makes the process as simple as possible for staff to be vaccinated and is organized to allow most K-12 staff in a county to be vaccinated within seven days of their assigned vaccination start date. For the limited number of counties where vaccinations will take place over multiple weeks, local leaders will make the logistical and scheduling decisions.

Eligible recipients may learn more about the locations and times of the vaccination sites from their administrators. The following documents list the entities by county in the week when teachers and personnel are able to begin vaccinations.

Week One (Beginning February 1st)

Week Two (Beginning February 8th)

Week Three (Beginning February 15th)

Week Four (Beginning February 22nd)

Update January 28, 2021 3:30 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

K-12 STAFF VACCINATIONS

Every public school district in the state – except for one – has agreed to resume in-person schooling by March 1 which was a requirement for staff to have early access to the vaccine.

K-12 schools whose staff can be vaccinated next week have been notified. All other schools will be contacted tomorrow with information on when their K-12 staff will be permitted to receive a vaccine.

More details on Ohio’s K-12 vaccination process will also be released on Friday. The plan ensures that the maximum number of people can be vaccinated in the shortest amount of time. The plan also makes the process as simple as possible for staff to be vaccinated and is organized to allow most K-12 staff in a county to be vaccinated within seven days of their assigned vaccination start date.

PANDEMIC IMPACTS ON K-12 STUDENTS

Ohio has prioritized getting K-12 students back in schools by March 1 because many adolescents’ social-emotional and mental well-being has been impacted by the pandemic.

“We know some of our students have not been in the classroom in months – it’s taking its toll,” said Governor DeWine. “For some, remote learning works, for others, it doesn’t. We are in danger of too many kids struggling for too long if they don’t get back to school in person.”

“School is community for our youth,” said Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Director Lori Criss. “It benefits kids so much more than academic content. It’s the social and emotional connections that kids feel with friends, classmates, extra-curriculars, teachers, and more.”

According to the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the change of routine and the constant uncertainty of the pandemic produces anxiety, and the disconnection from learning, emotional, and social supports can lead to depression. In addition, missed significant life events like graduations, proms, art performances, science competitions, sports, and more can result in grief.

Families and friends should reach out for help if a young person is:

talking about feeling hopeless;
worrying about being a burden;
feeling like there’s no reason to live;
using drugs, alcohol or engaging in other risky behaviors;
struggling with school;
disconnecting from family and friends.

Trained counselors with Ohio’s CareLine are available 24/7 at 1-800-720-9616. They can help with a crisis, provide guidance, and connect callers to help in the community.

OHIO PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY SYSTEM:

This week’s Ohio Public Health Advisory System map shows little change. Hamilton County is no longer listed as a Level 4 (Purple) Public Emergency, but the rest of the state remains the same as last week. A county-by-county breakdown outlining the presence of COVID-19 in all of Ohio’s 88 counties can be found on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System’s website.

Update January 27, 2021 8:00 PM

Health Order Signed Reducing Curfew by One Hour

Governor Mike DeWine today announced that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed a health order pushing back the statewide curfew one hour, changing the start time of the curfew to 11 p.m. The new hours begin January 28, 2021 at 12:01 p.m. and lasts through February 11, 2021, at 12:01 p.m. The change is being made because Ohio hospitalizations for COVID-19 have remained below 3500 for seven consecutive days.

Specifications in this order include:

Individuals within the state must stay at a place of residence during the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. except for obtaining necessary food, medical care, or social services or providing care for others.
- This order doesn’t apply to those that are homeless. Individuals whose residences are unsafe or become unsafe, such as victims of domestic violence, are encouraged to leave their homes and stay at a safe, alternative location.
- The order does not apply to religious observances and First Amendment protected speech including activity by the media.
The order permits travel into or out of the state and permits travel required by law enforcement or court order, including to transport children according to a custody agreement, or to obtain fuel.

Individuals are permitted to leave a place of residence during the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. for the following essential activities:

Engaging in activities essential to their health and safety or the health and safety of those in their households or people who are unable to or should not leave their homes, including pets. Activities can include but are not limited to seeking emergency services, obtaining medical supplies or medication, or visiting a health care professional including hospitals, emergency departments, urgent care clinics, and pharmacies.
To obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family or members of their household who are unable or should not leave their home, to deliver those services or supplies to others. Examples of those include but are not limited to, obtaining groceries and food. Food and beverages may be obtained only for consumption off-premises, through such means as delivery, drive-through, curbside pickup and carryout.
To obtain necessary social services.
To go to work, including volunteer work.
To take care of or transport a family member, friend, or pet in their household or another household.
To perform or obtain government services.

Update January 26, 2021 5:30 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CURFEW UPDATE

Governor DeWine today announced a new plan for Ohio’s 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew that is contingent on the hospital utilization statewide.

The Ohio Department of Health has recommended that Ohio’s curfew be amended to 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. when COVID-related hospital utilization drops below 3,500 for seven consecutive days. As of today, hospitalizations have been below 3,500 for the past six days. If hospitalizations remain at this level for a seventh consecutive day, Ohio’s curfew will be amended on Thursday and will be in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for at least two weeks.

If hospital utilization subsequently drops below 3,000 for seven consecutive days, Ohio’s curfew would be amended to 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. for at least two weeks. If hospitalizations drops below 2,500 for seven consecutive days, the Ohio Department of Health would recommend lifting the curfew.

If, at any point, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations begins to rise, health officials could reinstitute the appropriate curfew measures.

“When our COVID hospitalizations are above 2,500, which is more than three times Ohio’s peak in a typical flu season, our hospitals strain in their ability to deliver other care, especially routine diagnostic and procedural care,” said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Chief Medical Officer for the Ohio Department of Health. “When cases are above 3,500, our hospitals are highly stressed as evidenced by local and regional diversions and the greater need for transfers.”

VACCINE UPDATE

Ohio has been averaging about 146,000 first doses coming into Ohio every week. As Ohio’s Phase 1A begins to wind down, more doses will be available for those in Phase 1B.

Ohio is second in the nation for the number of people vaccinated in nursing homes, however, because not all residents and staff are choosing to receive the vaccine, Ohio will begin directing approximately 77,000 vaccines set aside to use in nursing homes to others in Phase 1A and 1B.

Ohio has put focus on vaccinating members of the public living in congregate settings because these individuals are especially vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. In Ohio’s state-run developmental centers, 89 percent of residents have accepted the vaccine; 73 percent of long-term patients in state-run psychiatric hospitals have accepted the vaccine; a total of 92 percent of veterans in state-run veterans homes have accepted the vaccine. Of those with developmental disabilities not living in state-run facilities, 5,500 people have been vaccinated so far.

SCHOOL STAFF VACCINES

Next week, Ohio will make vaccine available to 91,000 K-12 teachers and school personnel who are necessary to provide in-person education to students. Like other groups eligible in Phase 1B of Ohio’s vaccination program, this will be a rolling process beginning with Cincinnati Public Schools which will begin offering vaccinations to their staff later this week.

Due to the scarcity of vaccine, the process will take weeks, but Ohio’s goal is to have all first doses administered by the end of February. To be eligible to receive vaccine, districts had to commit to remaining or returning to in-person learning full-time or in a hybrid model by March 1.

Districts that are eligible to begin receiving vaccines next week should have already received notification, and the rest should be notified of their scheduled dates by the end of the week.

Teachers and staff with questions should contact their administrator.

Additional Resources:

SENIOR HOUSING CLINICS

Governor DeWine announced today that, in pursuit of fairness and equity in the distribution of the scarce vaccines, Ohio will be delivering vaccines directly into affordable senior housing locations starting the week of February 8. These senior housing facilities are home to several thousand older Ohioans throughout the state and are often residential clusters with apartment buildings ranging in units from 30 to over 200.

The Ohio Department of Health will be working with local partners to offer assistance through onsite clinics. These clinics will help ease the burden for many seniors having trouble navigating the registration process and arranging transportation.

PFIZER VACCINE DOSES

In many instances, a vial of the Pfizer vaccine can provide six vaccine doses. Some vaccine providers have been able to extract this sixth dose as much as 90 percent of the time based on technique and supplies. These supplies, however, have had limited availability nationally. The key to getting the sixth dose is having access to syringes with low or zero dead volume and, when clinically appropriate, using a one-inch vaccine needle.

The Ohio Department of Health surveyed best practices across the state and have determined that it is possible to reliably extract a sixth dose using a hybrid model of traditional syringes for four doses and the less-available low dead volume syringes for doses five and six.

This approach conserves limited special syringe supply. The Ohio Department of Health will be working with vaccine providers to share this information and provide further guidance to assist them with implementation.

OHIO-BASED COMPANY ON FRONT LINES OF VACCINE DISTRIBUTION

Lt. Governor Jon Husted highlighted a company out of Athens, Ohio that has become a critical component of the nation’s vaccine distribution infrastructure. Stirling Ultracold manufactures one-of-kind, portable Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) freezers, which are used to transfer the vaccines from the manufacturer to local hospitals, pharmacies, and other healthcare providers to safely store until being administered.

During today’s press conference, the Lt. Governor presented the portable freezer, which is capable of storing both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for extended periods of time. The freezer is currently set at -71° C (-95.8° F).

The company is headquartered in Athens, Ohio, where its technology was developed and where the products are manufactured today. Stirling Ultracold has expanded its employee base by 30 percent over the last three months and now employs 200 Ohioans.

JobsOhio and the Ohio Development Service Agency provided critical early support for Stirling Ultracold to be able to grow and accelerate its manufacturing capability to help in the vaccination effort.

TECHCRED APPLICATION CLOSING

The Lt. Governor also reminded businesses, both big and small, that the January TechCred application closes on January 29 at 3:00 p.m. TechCred helps Ohioans obtain new skills and improves Ohio’s workforce by reimbursing employers up to $2,000 for each technology-focused credential earned by a current or prospective employee.

Update January 22, 2021 4:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 57,511 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 1,986-3,339.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update January 21, 2021 6:00 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHASE 1B VACCINATIONS

Governor DeWine discussed the vaccine distribution for Phase 1B, which began this week for those ages 80 and up. Governor DeWine was joined today by several Ohioans who received a vaccination.

Beginning next week, vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 75 and up. Vaccinations will also be available to those with severe congenital, developmental, or early-onset medical disorders, and who have a developmental or intellectual disability.

A representative from the local county developmental disabilities board will reach out to help coordinate receipt of the vaccination for Ohioans with severe congenital, developmental, or early-onset medical disorders, as well as a developmental or intellectual disability.

RAPID TEST

Governor DeWine announced that the state is purchasing 2 million at-home, rapid COVID-19 test using telehealth services where the results are delivered in minutes without the need to send the test to a lab for processing. Developed by Abbott, BinaxNOW is an easy-to-use antigen test that detects the virus when people are most infectious.

To facilitate the delivery of the BinaxNOW test to the home and the guided collection and testing process, Abbott has partnered with digital health solutions provider eMed™, who will deliver people their results through Abbott’s complementary NAVICA™app in a matter of minutes. eMed™ will report the rapid test results in the electronic lab reporting system.

“Abbott has been a valued partner throughout this pandemic and this new partnership will help us continue aggressive testing at colleges and universities, and pursue access to rapid testing in every county in Ohio,” said Governor DeWine. “These tests combined with the telehealth solutions provided by eMed™ will provide equitable access to testing for those who may not be able to access traditional testing because of their working hours, have mobility or transportation issues, or have caregiving responsibilities.”

“The partnership with the State of Ohio is proof of our ability to get millions of tests in the hands of people who need them,” said Dr. Patrice Harris, eMed CEO. “We are proud of this joint accomplishment which fortifies our belief that serial testing, when deployed in accordance with public health best practices, CDC and FDA guidance, plays a critical role in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and getting our society and economy on the right track.”

This partnership will provide at least 2 million of the BinaxNow tests for Ohioans as, Abbot, eMed™, and the Ohio Department of Health pursue innovative efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

CURFEW EXTENSION

Governor DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health will extend Ohio’s 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Additional details will be forthcoming.

The curfew does not apply to those going to and from work, those who have an emergency, or those who need medical care. The curfew is not intended to stop anyone from getting groceries or going to the pharmacy. Picking up carry-out or a drive-thru meal and ordering for delivery is permitted, but serving food and drink within an establishment must cease at 10:00 p.m.

OHIO COUNTY COVID DATA

A county-by-county breakdown outlining the presence of COVID-19 in all of Ohio’s 88 counties can be found on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System’s website.

All 88 counties have a level of spread that is at least three times more than what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers high incidence.

“As we have seen recently, our number of new cases seem to be flattening,” said Governor DeWine. “We are still much higher than where we want to be, and still much higher than where we’ve been most of this pandemic.”

Governor DeWine also discussed key measurements regarding incidence cases per 100,000 residents over two weeks, as well as regional COVID-19 ICU utilization.

“Out of any 200 Ohioans, at least 1 has tested positive for COVID during the past 2 weeks,” said Governor DeWine. “Additionally, we still have more than 1 out of 4 patients who are COVID positive in our ICUs, which means our hospitals are still spending a lot of time and effort to treat these patients who are critically ill with COVID-19.”

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FRAUD

Unfortunately, identity theft is a nationwide problem and no state is immune. Many who did not apply for unemployment benefits, may receive a 1099 form from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, indicating that they are likely a victim of identity theft and their personal information was used to file a fraudulent claim.

Here is what they can do:

Report identity theft at unemployment.ohio.gov, and click on the red button that says “ID Theft: What to do” to report suspected identity theft. ODJFS will send a confirmation email with resources available to victims of identity theft.
File your taxes following guidance regarding identity theft from the IRS and the Ohio Department of Taxation.
Protect your identity from future fraud by consulting resources from the Ohio Attorney General, the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and the Federal Trade Commission.

PPE DONATION

Lt. Governor Husted thanked the many businesses and organizations that have donated supplies and equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE) since the start of the pandemic.

The latest donation, 250,000 disposable masks from the Home Depot, adds to the millions of masks, gowns, gloves, face shields and sanitizer donated by organizations ranging from large national companies and foundations to small Ohio businesses. The donated supplies are added to the State’s stockpile and distributed around the state as needed.

INNOVATEOHIO, OBM DUPLICATE PAYMENT TOOL

The Lt. Governor also provided an update on InnovateOhio’s Duplicate Payment tool, which is a project developed with the Office of Budget and Management (OBM) that identifies duplicate payments in the state government accounting system. Today, an additional 72 duplicate payments were identified, totaling $168,277 in savings, using the InnovateOhio Duplicate Payment Tool.

Since the project’s launch, it has identified $1.37 million in savings. Today’s update brings the total number of confirmed duplicate payments to 258 since January 2019, across 33 different agencies, boards and commissions.

Update January 19, 2021 6:30 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHASE 1B TIMELINE

Governor DeWine today highlighted the vaccine distribution timeline for Phase 1B of Ohio’s vaccination program, which began today for those ages 80 and up. Governor DeWine was joined by several Ohioans, who received a vaccination as part of Phase 1B.

Week of January 25: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 75 and up. Vaccinations will also be available to those with severe congenital, developmental, or early-onset medical disorders, and who have a developmental or intellectual disability.

During the week of February 15, Ohioans with any of these conditions, and do not have a developmental or intellectual disability, will be eligible to receive the vaccination. Additional information on how these individuals can choose to receive their vaccines is forthcoming.

“This group has been identified by medical professionals as having a high risk of death if they caught COVID-19,” said Governor DeWine. “It’s critical that we continue to prioritize Ohioans who are most vulnerable.”

Each provider will begin administering vaccines the day after they receive their shipment. All vaccines must be distributed within seven days.

Week of February 1: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 70 and up following the same process outlined above.

Week of February 8: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 65 and up following the same process outlined above.

The Ohio Department of Health has launched a tool on vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov to assist residents looking for a provider that has been allocated vaccines.

The tool is searchable by zip code and county, but it will not be uploaded in real-time. It is critical that those eligible to receive a vaccine consult local resources to determine up-to-date vaccine availability.

K-12 SCHOOLS

Vaccinations will also be available for personnel in Ohio schools in Phase 1B. As of today, 96% of public school districts have committed to returning to school at least partially in-person by March 1.

Schools committed to at least partially returning to in-person by March 1 have been designated a local Educational Service Center as a working partner. Additional details will be confirmed this week between the working partners and school districts.

School districts are also choosing a retail pharmacy partner, secured by the state, or an existing local partnership, to administer the vaccinations to school personnel. Beginning the week of February 1, vaccination administration will be coordinated with school-provider partnerships, and a majority will be closed clinics for school personnel only.

Update January 15, 2021 5:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 53,961 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 1,873-3,110.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update January 15, 2021 1:30 PM

Vaccinations in Phase 1B are expected to begin the week of January 18th. Governor DeWine announced a tiered system for offering vaccinations to the estimated 2.2 million people who are eligible for the vaccine under this phase, beginning with those who are 80 or older. When a new age group begins, vaccinations may not be complete for the previous age group. It will take a number of weeks to distribute all of the vaccine given the limited doses available.

Beginning January 19: Ohioans 80 years of age and older.
The week of Jan. 25: Ohioans 75 years of age and older; those with severe congenital or developmental disorders.
The week of Feb. 1: Ohioans 70 years of age and older; employees of K-12 schools that wish to remain or return to in-person or hybrid models.
The week of Feb. 8: Ohioans 65 years of age and older.

The Ohio Department of Health launched a tool on vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov to assist citizens looking for a provider that has been allotted vaccines. The tool will be searchable by zip code or county, but it will not be updated in real-time. It is critical that those eligible to receive a vaccine consult local sources to determine up-to-date vaccine availability.

Senior citizens with questions on the vaccination process are urged to contact the Area Agencies on Aging at www.aging.ohio.gov or by calling 1-866-243-5678.

Update January 14, 2021 6:30 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHASE 1B VACCINATIONS

Governor DeWine today highlighted the vaccine distribution timeline for Phase 1B of Ohio’s vaccination program, which is set to begin next week for those ages 80 and up.

Week of January 18: Vaccine providers will begin receiving their first allotment of vaccines for those ages 80 and older. Vaccines will be delivered on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Each provider will begin administering vaccines the day after they receive their shipment. All vaccines must be distributed within seven days.

Week of January 25: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 75 and up following the same process outlined above. Vaccinations will also be available to those with severe congenital, developmental, or early-onset medical disorders. Additional information on how these individuals can choose to receive their vaccines is forthcoming.

Week of February 1: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 70 and up following the same process outlined above.

Week of February 8: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 65 and up following the same process outlined above.

“When a new age range opens, that does not mean vaccinations will be complete for the previous age range,” said Governor DeWine. “Vaccinating Ohioans in Phase 1B will take a number of weeks given the limited doses available.”

Beginning tomorrow, Ohioans aged 80 and up can find additional information about providers administering vaccines by calling their local health department or visiting their local health department website.

Additionally, the Ohio Department of Health will launch a tool tomorrow morning on coronavirus.ohio.gov to assist residents looking for a provider that has been allotted vaccines.

The tool will be searchable by zip code or county, but it will not be updated in real-time. It is critical that those eligible to receive a vaccine consult local resources to determine up-to-date vaccine availability.

“Providers throughout the state are developing systems that work best for them in terms of scheduling and administering vaccinations,” said Governor DeWine. “As we continue to rollout additional vaccination groups, we will work with our local partners, and modify the process as needed.”

The Ohio Department of Health is in the process of developing a state vaccination scheduling system. Additional information is forthcoming.

NURSING HOME VACCINATIONS

Governor DeWine announced that Ohio is imminently close to completing the administration of the first round of COVID-19 vaccines in skilled nursing facilities.

“When we started distributing the vaccine in Ohio, one of our first goals was to vaccinate our most vulnerable in our nursing facilities,” said Governor DeWine.

Ohio partnered with four pharmacies through the Federal Pharmacy Partnership in distribution of the vaccine to skilled nursing facilities. These facilities are a part of Phase 1A.

Absolute has administered 100% of the first round of COVID-19 vaccines as assigned.

As of yesterday, CVS has administered 97% of the first round of COVID-19 vaccines at the 478 assigned facilities. It is anticipated CVS will finish the administration of doses this week.

Pharm Script has completed 61 of 63 assigned facilities, and will complete the administration of doses today.

Walgreens has completed 95% of the first round of COVID-19 vaccines at the 398 assigned facilities.

Within the Federal Pharmacy Partnership, Ohio, with 3.6% of the U.S population, has administered more than 8% of the vaccines in this program nationwide. This is above the anticipated pace of administering the vaccine.

OHIO COUNTY COVID DATA

A county-by-county breakdown outlining the presence of COVID-19 in all of Ohio’s 88 counties can be found on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System’s website.

All 88 counties have a level of spread that is at least three times more than what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers high incidence.

Governor DeWine also discussed key measurements regarding incidence cases per 100,000 residents over two weeks, as well as regional COVID-19 ICU utilization.

“We saw new cases per capita at the statewide level increase since last week, which indicates that COVID-19 continues to spread in both urban and rural communities throughout Ohio,” said Governor DeWine.

Update January 12, 2021 6:00 PM

Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHASE 1B TIMELINE

Governor DeWine today reemphasized the vaccine distribution timeline for Phase 1B of Ohio’s vaccination program which is set to begin next week with those ages 80 and older.

This week: Today, the Ohio Department of Health will receive information from the federal government on Ohio’s vaccine allotment for the upcoming week. This information, including which providers will receive vaccines and how many, will be communicated to local health departments this evening. Each county health department, in partnership with their local emergency management agency and vaccine providers, will communicate vaccine distribution plans with the media and the public on Wednesday and Thursday. The process to vaccinate those in each county will vary depending on the provider. Some are expected to hold walk-up clinics, others may take appointments, etc.

On Thursday, the Ohio Department of Health will launch a tool on coronavirus.ohio.gov to assist citizens looking for a provider that has been allotted vaccines. The tool will be searchable by zip code or county, but it will not be updated in real-time. It is critical that those eligible to receive a vaccine consult local sources to determine up-to-date vaccine availability.

Hospitals that are vaccinating their frontline healthcare workers as part of Phase 1A must complete these vaccinations by Sunday, January 17.

Week of February 1: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 70 and up following the same process outlined above.

Week of February 8: Vaccinations are anticipated to begin for those ages 65 and up following the same process outlined above.

Vaccine providers are not expected to vaccinate everyone in each age group in one week. As new age groups are authorized to receive vaccinations, previous age groups will continue receiving the vaccine.

Senior citizens with questions on the vaccination process are urged to contact the Area Agencies on Aging at www.aging.ohio.gov or by calling 1-866-243-5678.

NURSING HOME VACCINATIONS

To date, 85 percent of Ohio’s nursing homes have been visited by a vaccine provider as part of Phase 1A. Vaccine providers anecdotally tell the Ohio Department of Health that the number of residents and staff accepting the vaccine is increasing.

In Ohio’s two nursing homes operated by the Ohio Department of Veteran Services, 92 percent of veterans have accepted the vaccine. Regarding staff, 60 percent have opted to receive the vaccine in the Sandusky home and 42 percent have chosen to be vaccinated in the Georgetown home.

BROADBAND EXPANSION INVESTMENT

Lt. Governor Husted announced today that Southern Ohio Communication Services, Inc., in collaboration with JobsOhio, Ohio Southeast Economic Development (OhioSE) and Pike County Economic & Community Development, plans to invest $3.8 million to provide high-speed Internet service over 64 miles to 1,300 residential and business customers in southern Ohio. Southern Ohio Communications Service received a $50,000 JobsOhio Inclusion Grant toward building and engineering costs. Learn more about the announcement here.

INDUSTRY SECTOR PARTNERSHIP AWARDS

Lt. Governor Husted also announced that 12 partnerships have been awarded for a total of $2.5 million for the Industry Sector Partnership Award Grant Program. The selected partnerships are located in various regions across Ohio and focus on multiple in-demand industry sectors, including healthcare, information technology, manufacturing, construction and transportation.

“These awards will jumpstart and expand workforce partnerships across Ohio that are helping more individuals earn the skills needed to successfully find employment,” Lt. Governor Husted said. “This is real-world skill development where educators and businesses work together to help people gain the skills they need to get hired for jobs that pay well and have a future. Enhancing meaningful partnerships between the business and education community is key to growing Ohio’s workforce and filling in-demand jobs at a time when many people are looking for opportunities, but not sure where to start.”

Learn more about the Industry Sector Partnership Grant by visiting Workforce.Ohio.gov/ISP

Update January 8, 2021 5:30 PM

The Cuyahoga County Board of Health released their COVID-19 case numbers for the week. There are a total of 50,450 total cases (confirmed lab cases and probable cases) reported in Cuyahoga County. This does not include the numbers from the City of Cleveland.

In Lakewood, the number of cases is reported to be 1651-2886.

Click here to see the full report issued by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Update January 7, 2021 5:30 PM

Governor Mike DeWine, and Lt. Governor Jon Husted today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OHIO COUNTY COVID DATA

A county-by-county breakdown outlining the presence of COVID-19 in all of Ohio’s 88 counties can be found on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System’s website.

All 88 counties have a level of spread that is at least three times more than what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers high incidence. Governor DeWine encouraged Ohioans to look more closely at the chart below, which shows the number of positive cases per 1,000 residents.

PHASE 1B VACCINATIONS

Governor DeWine announced those in Phase 1B will be able to receive vaccinations beginning on Tuesday, January 19. Those 80 years of age and older will be prioritized first in this next phase, roughly totaling 420,000 Ohioans. Ohio is expected to receive 100,000 doses during the first week of distribution to Phase 1B.

“With up to 420,000 people 80 years and above, and only 100,000 doses available the first week, it will take several weeks to vaccinate those 80 years of age and older,” said Governor DeWine. “Phase 1B will take a few weeks, and a lot of coordination in distribution.”

Vaccines for Ohioans 80 years of age and older will be administered by physicians, local health departments, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, in-home health service providers, and some retail pharmacies. As of today, the Ohio Department of Health has approximately 1,700 providers registered to distribute vaccines.

Additionally, the Ohio Department of Health will be hosting a webinar for registered providers to discuss expectations, and instructions for distribution. Additional details will be shared with registered providers in the coming days.

Governor DeWine anticipates vaccinations will be available to Ohioans 75 years of age and older beginning Monday, January 25. The following week, vaccinations will be available to those 65 years of age and older.

“As we include other age ranges, please know that does not mean vaccinations will be complete for the previous age range,” said Governor DeWine.

The week of January 25 will also include vaccinations for Ohioans with severe congenital, developmental, or early onset medical disorders. Additional details about distribution for this group will be forthcoming.

During the week of February 1, Governor DeWine announced that vaccinations will be available for personnel in Ohio schools. The Ohio Department of Heath will send forms to Ohio superintendents to indicate their school plans to go back to in full in-person and hybrid learning by March 1, as well as indicate the number of staff they believe will choose to take the vaccination. Superintendents will also be asked if a community partner has been identified to help with the administering of the COVID-19 vaccines to school personnel.

Additional information about vaccinations can be found at coronavirus.ohio.gov.

BROADBANDOHIO CONNECTIVITY GRANT

Lt. Governor Husted today announced that the deadline for the BroadbandOhio Connectivity Grant, which provided $50 million to schools to help them purchase equipment for students to access the internet, has been extended. This program helps schools to fund everything from hotspots, to Wi-Fi, to access points on school busses. The grant was funded using Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) from the CARES Act.

The deadline to spend these funds was originally December 30, 2020, however, a second federal stimulus bill was signed at the of December, which extended the CRF expenditure deadline an additional year, until December 31, 2021. As a result, this administration extended the deadline for the BroadbandOhio Connectivity Grant to the same date, December 31, 2021.

School districts now have more time to spend these funds for services they provide to students to keep them online.

More information about the grant program can be found at ohio-k12.help.

AMENDED HEALTH ORDER

Governor DeWine announced that Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed the Sixth Amended Director’s Order to Limit Access to Ohio’s Nursing Homes and Similar Facilities, with Exceptions.

This revised order clarifies that in-person compassionate care visits are permitted in nursing homes and similar facilities. The new order does not change required precautions all visitors must take, including but not limited to, wearing of a facial covering and social distancing.

Update January 5, 2021 5:30 PM

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff today provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

VACCINATION PHASES

Governor DeWine today recapped Phases 1A and 1B of Ohio’s vaccine distribution plan. Because the availability of the vaccine remains limited in Ohio and across the country, Ohio is taking a phased approach that prioritizes the most vulnerable citizens, those in the healthcare field, and school staff members.

Phase 1A, which is currently underway, includes approximately 1 million Ohioans

It is anticipated that vaccine distribution in Phase 1B will begin as Phase 1A begins to wind down.

Phase 1B focuses largely on those who are 65 and older. Those in this age group are most vulnerable to COVID-19 and make up more than 87 percent of Ohioans who have died from the virus. Phase 1B also includes school teachers and other school staff who will be offered the vaccine in an effort to get Ohio’s children back to school as soon as possible. In total, Phase 1B includes an estimated 2.2 million people.

Details of future phases of the vaccination plan will be announced as Phases 1A and 1B progress and as Ohio receives vaccines for the future phases. Ohio is currently receiving roughly 100,000 vaccines each week, although that number could increase if more vaccines are approved for administration.

NURSING HOME VACCINATIONS

As of Sunday, approximately 61 percent of nursing homes in Ohio have been visited by a pharmacy vaccine provider. Of those locations, only approximately 40 percent of staff members have chosen to receive the vaccination. Of nursing home residents, approximately 75 to 80 percent of residents have decided to receive the vaccine.

Nursing home staff and residents who have received their first dose of vaccine will begin receiving second doses on Friday. Governor DeWine encouraged those in nursing homes who initially declined to receive the vaccine to get their first dose as part of this second round. Following this opportunity, it may be some time before a first dose is available again.

VACCINE DISCUSSIONS FOR LONG-TERM CARE PROVIDERS

The Ohio Department of Aging will be hosting live discussions to help educate long-term care providers about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine. State and community vaccine experts will be available to answer questions about the vaccine, and participants will have the opportunity to offer input to help state leaders make decisions to guide Ohio out of the pandemic.

VIRUS VARIANT

Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Chief Medical Officer for the Ohio Department of Health, provided information related to the coronavirus variation that was first seen in the United Kingdom.

“Although virus variations are normal, and most do not impact the behavior of a virus, this variation is notable because it appears to be more contagious than other variants of the coronavirus,” said Dr. Vanderhoff. “Fortunately, this variant doesn’t appear to be more severe or to impact those who are already immune, but it worries us because a more contagious variant could lead to more people getting sick, more people being hospitalized, and more people dying.”

Ohio currently has three times the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations that it had on November 1 and nearly seven times the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations that it had on October 1.

Dr. Vanderhoff stressed the importance of continuing Ohio’s coronavirus protocols of social distancing, avoiding crowds, washing hands, wearing masks, and accepting the vaccine when available to prevent the spread of all variants of the coronavirus and to prevent further increases in hospitalizations.

VACCINE REDISTRIBUTION PLANS

The Ohio Department of Health will be issuing a directive requiring vaccine providers to develop a surplus vaccine redistribution plan. The directive follows a recent incident in which a long-term care facility in Ohio overestimated the number of vaccine doses needed for residents and staff. Seven vials of vaccine (35 doses) were not administered and expired.

“Every vaccine dose that Ohio receives must be administered,” said Governor DeWine. “Each vaccine represents a potential life saved, and it is our obligation to ensure that not a single dose is wasted.”

Vaccine redistribution plans will prioritize recipients based on Phase 1A and 1B vaccine distribution criteria. If a significant number of doses remain, vaccine providers must contact the Ohio Department of Health for immediate redistribution assistance.

NEXT ROUND OF TECHCRED NOW OPEN

Lt. Governor Jon Husted today announced that the seventh round of TechCred – a program that helps businesses upskill their current and incoming workforce with tech-focused credentials – is now open until January 29.

Ohio businesses can receive up to $2,000 for each tech-focused credential earned, up to $30,000 per employer each application period. Since the program’s start, a total of 966 Ohio employers have been approved for funding, supporting the earning of 15,105 tech-focused credentials by Ohio employees.

To learn more and apply, businesses can visit TechCred.Ohio.Gov.

BAR & RESTAURANT FUND DEADLINE EXTENDED

The Lt. Governor also announced that the deadline to apply for the Bar and Restaurant Assistance Fund has been extended to January 31.

There are approximately 15,400 on-premises liquor permits in the state eligible for assistance. Of that, roughly 10,854 or 70 percent have taken advantage of this funding opportunity as of today.

Governor DeWine designated $38.7 million of funding received by the State of Ohio from the federal CARES Act to provide $2,500 assistance payments to on-premise liquor permit holders to help them through the financial difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, and each active on-premises liquor permit is eligible for funding.

While the program is referred to as the Bar & Restaurant Assistance Fund, more than just bars and restaurants have eligible permits. Movie theaters, bowling alleys, sports and concert venues, and even some hair salons are eligible for this funding.

Eligible businesses can visit businesshelp.ohio.gov to apply, which requires them to simply enter their liquor permit number and federal tax information.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION RATE CUT

The Lt. Governor also announced that Ohio’s public employers will pay $14.8 million less in premiums this year thanks to a rate reduction from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation that went into effect January 1.

The rate cut means approximately 3,700 counties, cities, public schools, and other public taxing districts will pay an average of 10 percent less on their annual premiums than in calendar year 2020. The reduction, made possible by declining injury trends and relatively low medical inflation costs, is the twelfth cut for public employers since 2009 and follows a 10 percent cut in 2020.

Click here to view the 2020 Coronavirus/COVID-19 Updates.

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Click here to view the 2020 Coronavirus/COVID-19 Updates.

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