COLUMBUS – Governor Mike DeWine says outdoor and indoor sports and entertainment facilities will be allowed to reopen with limited attendance and guidance is coming soon for proms, banquets, wedding receptions, fairs, and parades.
DeWine said Thursday that the outdoor venues can reopen with a maximum 30% capacity and indoor venues with 25% capacity but those limits could be further eased depending on the progress of the coronavirus.
“We’re going to start at this point and if the spring and summer go the way we think it’s going to go, we’re going to be able to expand these and move forward,” he said, though he warned that the limits could also be restricted if things worsen because of the coronavirus variant.
DeWine said approval of a new COVID-19 vaccine, if it is granted, and the end of the program to vaccinate Ohio’s school personnel will combine to increase the supply of vaccine in the state.
A panel of Food and Drug Administration experts was scheduled to debate Friday whether there is enough evidence that Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine works against COVID-19 for the agency to grant its approval.
If the FDA does sign off, DeWine says that will add 90,000 doses of the vaccine to over 300,000 already scheduled to arrive in Ohio.
“What we’re going to see next week is at least 300,000 first shots next week and we may see that push up to 400,000,” he said.
Columbus Public Health has a limited amount of COVID-19 vaccine doses and is now scheduling for Columbus and Worthington residents who are 65+ or have a qualifying medical condition. Call 614-645-1519 to schedule an appointment or register online
Franklin County Public Health is scheduling appointments for its clinic the week of March 1-5 online. This clinic is open to those age 65 and over and those with severe congenital, developmental or early onset disorders to receive their 1st dose.
Ohio will receive 310,000 first doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, additional providers, including some Meijer and Walmart locations and more independent pharmacies, will begin administering doses.
Providers that are currently receiving vaccines, including RiteAid, Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, local health departments, and hospitals, can anticipate larger shipments, DeWine said.
The federal government Ohio will receive an additional 91,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine during the first week.
Vaccinations of school personnel are scheduled to wrap up, which DeWine says will mean more doses available for other groups.
The state has administered 1.5 million initial doses of the vaccine and 772,126 Ohioans, or 6.6% of the total population have finished the vaccination process.
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The state report 2,409 additional cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total number of Ohioans infected during the pandemic to 962,404.
There were 80 newly reported deaths, meaning the disease has claimed the lives of 17,125 Ohioans.
The state reported 163 new hospital admissions, though the number of patients currently being treated in hospitals fell to 1,262. COVID-19 patients occupied 4.6% of the state’s available hospital beds. There have been 49,951 hospitalizations.
There are currently 44,254 active cases and the state’s positivity rate is 4.5%.