COLUMBUS — Ohio continues to move further away from the goals set to rescind health orders as Gov, Mike DeWine reported 200 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people during his news conference on Thursday afternoon.
The number of cases per 100,000 people increased from last week, where there were 183.7 cases per 100,000 people reported. Additionally, the number of COVID-positive patients in the state’s hospitals has risen to over 1,300.
>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: DeWine, ODH say paused use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be reassuring to people worried about safety
“This is not the direction we want to be going,” DeWine said.
More than 36 percent of Ohioans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. DeWine said we have to “stay on defense” against to the virus and its variants as he continued to encourage Ohioans to get vaccinated. Additionally, he encouraged parents of children 16 and older to get their children vaccinated.
>>DeWine: Ohio moving further away from lifting health orders as cases per 100,000 increase
The following announcements were made during Thursday’s news conference:
- Clark County ranked 11th in highest occurrence by county with 246.1 cases per 100,000.
- Statewide average for cases has risen to 200 cases per 100,000. DeWine said he has no plans to change the goal of 50 cases per 100,000 people to rescind health orders.
- 49,075 new patients have gotten their first vaccination in the last 24 hours.
- The number of people receiving their second dose of the vaccine continues to rise.
- DeWine said college campuses are driving the number of young people getting vaccinated.
- There is a large amount of Pfizer vaccines available across the state. If someone has a child 16 or older, DeWine said, “its time to get the child vaccinated.”
- When talking about the potential vaccine hesitancy following the pause of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines, DeWine said the Centers for Disease Control Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ research has been transparent and that should give Ohioans confidence in the vaccination process.
- Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff said that the CDC ACIP would continue to pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. More time is needed to asses the data before announcing any kind of guidance.
- Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced the new Inclusive Employer Toolkit. The toolkit is intended to help employers “recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities and foster an inclusive workplace.”
Cox Media Group
