COLUMBUS – Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12, a big step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before the next school year.
Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults. Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older.
Ohio began vaccinating everyone in the state age 16 and older on Monday and is closing in on 2 million completed vaccinations, with about 16.6% of the total population now vaccinated.
The state has reported an average of 1,842 new cases of COVID-19 per day since March 24 with 1,017,566 total cases now reported.
Gov. Mike DeWine has reportedly voiced concern about data than suggests a recent downward trend in new cases has slowed or even reversed.
The rate of cases per 100,000 residents increases slightly last week from 144 to 146.9.
DeWine has said pandemic-related health restrictions will be lifted if the rate falls to 50 cases per 100,000 residents statewide.
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The number of Ohioans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits plunged to 54,343 during the week that ended March 27, about 10% of which were flagged for potential fraud.
The 3.15 million initial jobless claims filed over the last 54 weeks was more than the combined total of those filed from 2013-2019, according to the state Department of Job and Family Services.
Ohioans filed 314,698 continued claims for traditional and extended benefits last week, a 2.3% decline from two weeks earlier, and an additional 177,713 workers received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, federally funded benefits for workers who traditionally do not qualify for benefits.
The unemployment rate in Ohio fell 0.3% from January’s rate of 5.3% to 5.0% in February as data indicates the state has regained approximately two-thirds of the jobs lost when the state’s economy shut down in March 2020 in the face of the growing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Dozens of Asian American Upper Arlington residents have written a letter to Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who lives in the Columbus suburb, expressing their concerns with a “Wuhan virus” tweet he posted late last month and their fears for the safety of their children.
Husted says the tweet was to criticize the Chinese government for what he says is its role in the spread of the virus.
A report from the World Health Organization says it is extremely unlikely that the virus emerged accidentally from a Chinese laboratory and was likely spread from animals to humans.
But Husted also tweeted reports that the U.S., United Kingdom, Japan and other nations had called for an independent investigation, claiming the Chinese government denied the WHO team access to key data.
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Ohio is working on guidelines that will spell out when private clinics will able to start giving COVID-19 shots at workplaces, churches and schools.
A handful of these vaccination clinics have popped up in recent weeks at offices, union halls and factories in the Toledo area for employees and their families.
State officials told providers to take a temporary pause with the nonpublic clinics because it first wants to make sure that there are enough doses for everyone.
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The Dayton Air Show will go forward in July but with reduced attendance and with guests in cars, watching drive-in style.
Last year’s air show was canceled because of the pandemic.
The Dayton Daily News reports that organizers said Wednesday that the state’s current pandemic restrictions on large gatherings meant the show could not return to its previous format.
Organizers expect to accommodate 4,000 cars a day.
There will be no aircraft on the ground this year. Instead, guests will be able to park their cars and view the show tailgate-style.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the 47th anniversary of the annual event.