Throughout the week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided updates on Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other state initiatives.
This week, Governor DeWine visited communities across the state to witness the growing collective effort to vaccinate Ohioans against COVID-19. Governor DeWine, often joined by First Lady Fran DeWine, has made stops in Dayton, Columbus, Zanesville, Springfield, and Hamilton.
"Administering the COVID-19 vaccine to all Ohioans is crucial to preventing the spread of the virus and getting back to normal life," Governor DeWine said. "As the vaccine shipments coming into the state increase, it's so important to have teams working efficiently and collectively to fight the virus as quickly as possible. Thank you to the thousands of workers and volunteers dedicating the time and effort needed to make this vision a reality."
To round out the week, Governor DeWine today toured vaccination sites in Greenville, Findlay, Maumee, and Marysville.
Governor DeWine will continue to visit vaccination sites across the state as vaccination efforts continue.
On Monday, Governor DeWine outlined the individuals who are included in Phase 1D and Phase 2B of Ohio's vaccination plan, which went 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 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.?
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.
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.?
UNEMPLOYMENT 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.?
Also on Monday, Lt. Governor Husted and InnovateOhio, in partnership with the Governor?s Office of Workforce Transformation and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, unveiled a fully redesigned, more accessible?OhioMeansJobs.com?website for Ohio jobseekers and employers. Users will find it much easier to register for an account, navigate job opportunities, and apply for positions on mobile devices, all driven by user feedback and upgraded technology tools.
The OhioMeansJobs site has served as the state?s one-stop shop for jobseekers and employers since 2008. In 2019, the InnovateOhio team, under the leadership of the DeWine-Husted Administration, launched a mission to completely redesign?OhioMeansJobs.com?to better meet the needs of Ohioans looking for jobs and Ohio companies looking for talent.
?The OhioMeansJobs redesign takes an outdated site and transforms it into a streamlined, simple-to-use resource for Ohioans looking for new career opportunities,? said Lt. Governor Husted, Director of InnovateOhio and the Governor?s Office of Workforce Transformation. ?The revamped site also makes the tough task of searching for a new employee much easier, connecting businesses to candidates with the right skill-set and experience.?
On?Tuesday, Governor DeWine declared March 9 a day of remembrance in Ohio in honor of the more than 17,500 Ohioans who have died from COVID-19.?
March 9, 2021, marks the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed coronavirus cases in Ohio. Since then, more than 979,000 people have tested positive in the state.
On Wednesday, Governor DeWine announced that Ohio's state-sponsored Cincinnati and Columbus pop-up mass vaccination sites will open next week.
Both vaccination clinics will offer the Pfizer vaccine to those eligible to be vaccinated under the?Ohio Department of Health?s vaccination plan. Individuals who receive their first dose of vaccine at a pop-up site will be guaranteed their second dose at the same site approximately three weeks later.?
The 50,000 total vaccine doses that will be available as part of these pop-up mass vaccination clinics are being reallocated from Ohio's unused long-term care vaccine supply that was 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 has already administered nearly 160,000 reallocated doses from the program.
Columbus St. John Arena 410 Woody Hayes Drive
First dose clinic dates: March 18, 19, 20, 21 - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.? Second dose clinic dates: April 8, 9, 10, 11 - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.?
Cincinnati? Cintas Center 1624 Herald Avenue
First dose clinic dates: March 18, 19, 20 - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Second dose clinic dates: April 8, 9, 10 - 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Columbus and Cincinnati pop-up mass vaccination clinics being held next week are in addition to 15 permanent state-sponsored mass vaccination clinics and one state-federal mass vaccination clinic announced last week.
To learn more about the Cleveland mass vaccination site, visit?governor.ohio.gov.
For details on the 15 permanent mass vaccination sites located regionally across the state, visit?coronavirus.ohio.gov.
On Thursday, Governor DeWine detailed the Cleveland mass vaccination site, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), that will launch on Wednesday, March 17, at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. As of Thursday, more than 17,000 Ohioans had 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 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 reaches 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 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 partnered with 120 libraries.
K-12 Schools
A new partnership 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.?
HUSTED RECEIVES COVID-19 VACCINE?
Lt. Governor Husted traveled to his hometown of Montpelier, Ohio, to visit a vaccination site at the Montpelier Superior School, where 840 people were scheduled to receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
During the press conference, Lt. Governor Husted joined Montpelier Mayor Steve Yagelski and local resident Shirley Fry in receiving the vaccine, which was administered by Public Health Nurse Tammy Riegsecker. Lt. Governor Husted became eligible for the vaccine as part of Phase 2B in the state?s vaccination plan in which Ohioans aged 50 and above are eligible for vaccination.
LETTER ADDRESSING PUA FRAUD
Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted sent?a letter?to President Joe Biden urging the development of a national, coordinated response to ongoing, widespread fraud attempts being committed through the unemployment system, specifically the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program.
See below an excerpt from the letter:
?We urge you to immediately develop a national, coordinated response to this ongoing attempt to defraud the American people and our national and state governments. While states are doing everything they can to administer the federal programs while maintaining system integrity, a state-by-stare response is proving inadequate. This is not an Ohio problem ? it?s a national problem that requires a national solution.?
On Friday, Governor DeWine announced two appointments to fill judicial vacancies:
Gina Russo has been appointed to the Franklin County Municipal Court.
Russo, of Columbus, will assume office on March 22, 2021, and will be replacing Judge Paul Herbert, who has retired. Russo?s appointed term to the Franklin County Municipal Court will expire on January 3, 2022. She will need to run for election in November 2021 for a full term commencing on January 4, 2022.
Anthony Moraleja has been appointed to the Pike County Court.
Moraleja, of Waverly, will assume office on March 22, 2021, and will be replacing Judge Paul Price, who has elected to a different bench. Moraleja will need to run for election in November 2022 in order to complete the unexpired term ending December 31, 2024. ?
As of Saturday, there have been 988,298 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio. Additionally, 18,036 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths have occurred in the state; 17,871 were Ohio residents.?A total of 51,516 people have been hospitalized, including 7,266 admissions to intensive care units.
For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit?coronavirus.ohio.gov?or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.
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