COLUMBUS – The number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Ohio over the four-day Christmas holiday weekend represented a lower daily rate than either the seven-day or 21-day averages.
The state reported 16,875 new cases between Dec. 24 and Dec. 28, an average of 4,218 per day, lower than seven-day average of 5,881, which is in turn about 37% lower than the three-week average of 9,310 cases.
The 5,857 new cases reported Sunday raised the total number of Ohioans who have tested positive for the virus to 670,525. The state’s positivity rate has fallen to 12%.
There have been 8,509 deaths and 36,786 hospitalizations, including 273 newly hospitalized patients Sunday. Currently, 4,371 patients are in Ohio hospitals with COVID-19.
Franklin County Public Health will vaccinate EMS first responders during its first COVID-19 vaccination clinic Monday afternoon. In addition to the EMS personnel, 11 fire chiefs from suburban departments will receive vaccinations.
Under the state’s plan for distributing the vaccine (above), local health departments and hospitals will assist with managing mass vaccination clinics as more vaccines are shipped to Ohio.
The EMS personnel are receiving the vaccine as Phase 1A of the state’s vaccination program, which also includes vaccinating health care workers and personnel and residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals and veterans’ homes. People with developmental disabilities and those with mental illness who live in group homes or centers, and staff at those locations, are also included in the first group to receive the vaccine.
As of Sunday, 51,716 Ohioans had received their first of two vaccination doses, or 0.44% of the state’s total population.
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Ohioans filed 31,134 initial jobless claims last week, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, a 19% drop from the week before, as the state’s economy continues to struggle with the effects of the pandemic slowdown.