COLUMBUS – Ohioans age 80 and over began lining up for coronavirus vaccinations Tuesday but there is one big problem: the supply could not meet the demand.
“The big picture on vaccines always comes back to this: we don’t have enough,” Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday during a regularly scheduled COVID-19 briefing.
DeWine estimates there will be approximately 100,000 doses of the vaccine available statewide this week, but there are an estimated 425,000 individuals eligible to receive it during the first wave of Phase 1B.
The eligibility age will be moved back weekly until the 2.2 million Ohioans who are eligible will be able to start receiving the shots.
“We can do the math. It’s going to take a while but we wanted to get started and, frankly, we wanted to give our 80-year-olds, who have the most risk, at least that week head start,” he said.
This is the schedule for administering COVID-19 vaccinations during Phase 1B
Week of Jan. 19 –80 years of age and older
Week of Jan. 25 – 75 years of age and older and; those with severe congenital or developmental disorders
Week of Feb. 1 –70 years of age and older
Week of Feb. 8 –65 years of age and older
As of Sunday, Ohio had vaccinated 444,511 people, about 3.8% of the state’s population.
Columbus Public Health will only have 600 doses and Franklin County Public Health only 500 doses to distribute the week of Jan. 18 so Columbus Public Health has temporarily stopped scheduling vaccination appointments.
Franklin County Vaccination Information:
Columbus Public Health
Celeste Center, 717 E 17th Ave. – BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (no walk-ins)
Appointments for Jan. 18-23 suspended.
Hotline and vaccination registration: (614) 645-1519 (open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Saturday)
Franklin County Public Health
Wed., Jan. 20th – BY APPOINTMENT ONLY (no walk-ins)
1700 Morse Road
Scheduling available online or by phone
Hotline – (614) 525-5225 (open Noon-4pm Friday) or online
Fairfield County health officials estimate they would need to receive more than 4,000 doses of vaccine per week but are only receiving 200 doses per week.
Vaccination clinics will be held each Thursday at the county fairgrounds beginning Jan. 21. Those wishing to receive the vaccine during the clinics must register in advance using the sign-up form located on the Fairfield Department of Health’s website.
OhioHealth expects to vaccinate some 5,000 people at six sites in Ohio, including the David P. Blom Administrative Campus near Riverside Methodist Hospital and in Athens, Delaware, Hardin, Marion, Pickaway and Richland counties.
The Licking County Health Department will administer vaccines by appointment only at a remote drive-thru clinic location Thursday and will begin scheduling appointments for individuals age 75 and over beginning Tuesday.
Pickaway County residents over the age of 65 who wish to be vaccinated can pre-register with the health department or text PICKAWAYCO19 to 888777 to receive future COVID-19 specific alerts.
Madison County will offer drive-thru clinics Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 3:00 p.m., depending on supply and weather, at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center, 135 Ohio 38, London,
In Union County, there will be two providers offering COVID-19 vaccination for persons age 80 and up: Kroger pharmacy and the Union County Health Department. A clinic is scheduled for Jan. 20. open only to people age 80 and over. To book an appointment for the 80+ COVID-19 clinic, go to the department website.
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The state reported 4,312 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases to 831,066 with 10,281 deaths. There were 81 additional deaths reported Sunday.
There have been 43,351 Ohioans hospitalized since the pandemic began, including an additional 162 on Sunday. There were 3,765 patients being treated in hospitals for the virus.