OHIO MOVING FORWARD WITH COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM

Ohio is preparing to distribute safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines statewide to those who choose to be vaccinated. As COVID-19 vaccines are granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the state will begin to distribute the vaccines strategically and thoughtfully to Ohioans at the greatest risk in conjunction with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).

Ohio’s Phased Approach

Ohio’s goals are clear: to save lives and get students back in schools. While vaccine supply is limited, Ohio will follow a phased approach to vaccine administration. In the first vaccination phase, priority will be given to individuals at the highest risk, as well as essential healthcare workers and personnel caring for COVID-19 patients. The speed at which Ohio will move through the phases is largely dependent upon the number of vaccine doses available. As supply increases, COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all Ohioans who choose to be vaccinated.

• Phase 1 (Supply Limited) – Vaccine is available in limited supply and will be available only for specific critical populations. Ohio will focus on vaccinating those most at risk, as well as essential healthcare workers and personnel caring for COVID19 patients.

• Phase 2 (Supply Increasing) – Vaccine availability is increasing and can be offered to a larger group of specific critical populations who choose to be vaccinated.

• Phases 3-4 (Widely Available) – Once the vaccine is widely available, Ohio will continue to strategically vaccinate Ohioans if they choose to receive vaccine.

Phase 1A

During Phase 1A, which began December 14, 2020, priority was given to vulnerable individuals who live in close proximity and those who care for them:

• Healthcare workers and personnel who are routinely involved in the care of COVID-19 patients.
• Residents and staff in nursing homes.
• Residents and staff in assisted living facilities.
• Patients and staff at state psychiatric hospitals.
• People with developmental disabilities and those with mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, who live in group homes, residential facilities, or centers, and staff at those locations.
• Residents and staff at our two state-run homes for Ohio veterans.
• EMS responders.

Phase 1B

During Phase 1B, the focus will continue to offer protection to those at high risk and have K-12 students back in the classroom by March 1. This phase will specifically include:

• Ohioans, age 65 and up.
• Individuals with severe congenital, developmental, or early-onset medical disorders that make them particularly vulnerable.

      • This includes cerebral palsy; spina bifida; congenital heart disease; type 1 diabetes; inherited metabolic disorders; severe neurological disorders, including epilepsy; severe genetic disorders, including Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Turner syndrome; severe lung disease, including cystic fibrosis and severe asthma; sickle cell anemia; and alpha and beta thalassemia.

• Adults/employees in K-12 schools that want to go back to, or to remain with, in-person or hybrid learning models.

Tentative dates to start vaccinating these Phase 1B populations are:

• The week of Jan. 19, 2021 – Ohioans 80 years of age and older.
• The week of Jan. 25, 2021 – Ohioans 75 years of age and older; those with severe congenital or developmental disorders.
• The week of Feb. 1, 2021 – Ohioans 70 years of age and older; employees of K-12 schools that wish to remain or return to in person or hybrid models.
• The week of Feb. 8, 2021 – Ohioans 65 years of age and older.

When a new age range opens, vaccinations will not be complete for the previous age range. It will take several weeks to administer all the vaccine given the limited doses available. For K-12 school staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, schools are required to return to an in-person or hybrid learning model by March 1, 2021 and should submit the K-12 Notice of Intent form no later than Jan. 18, 2021.

How to Find a Vaccine Provider

A provider search will be available at www.coronavirus.ohio.gov beginning Thursday, January 14, 2021, allowing Ohioans to search by county, ZIP code, and Phase 1B population to find a provider in their area. Groups defined by age will receive the vaccine from local health departments, hospitals, federally qualified health centers, as well as some retail pharmacies. Providers for other audiences are yet to be announced.

Future Phases

The vaccine distribution plan for future priority populations is still under development and will be shared publicly once finalized. As more information becomes available on who can receive the vaccine and when they can receive the vaccine, we will communicate this information publicly through the news media and share information at www.coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine  

For additional information, about any aspect of Ohio’s COVID-19 programs and policies, visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov .