Vaccines for the novel coronavirus have arrived and are being administered in Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Monday.
The vaccine was first delivered to the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, where it was administered to healthcare workers. It was also delivered to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Each hospital received 975 doses.
“Today is the day that we have been waiting for,” DeWine said in a press conference. “Healthcare workers put all they have into caring for their fellow Ohioans who have beens stricken with COVID-19. They put their own health at risk to care for others, and today we start the process of vaccinating them against this terrible disease.”
The governor said additional vaccine doses will be delivered to eight hospitals across the state on Tuesday.
Tomorrow, eight other hospitals in Ohio will begin vaccinating health care workers:
➡Mercy Health St. Vincent Hospital in Lucas County;
➡Cleveland Clinic in Cuyahoga County;
➡Metro Health Medical Center in Cuyahoga County;— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) December 14, 2020
These hospitals, along with OSU Wexner Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, were selected based on geography, population, and access to ultra-cold storage capacity.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) December 14, 2020
The vaccine, created by pharmaceutical company Pfizer, is the first to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and was cleared for use last week. It is expected that the Moderna vaccine will also be approved soon.
DeWine warned that the arrival of the vaccine does not mean an immediate change in the course of the pandemic.
“But, of course, until the vaccine is widely available to Ohioans to be vaccinated, we need to continue to use all available tools to prevent the spread of the virus,” the governor said.
DeWine also announced that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention invited Ohio nursing homes to participate in an early scale launch of the vaccine. Nursing homes were originally slated to begin receiving the vaccine on December 21 and will now expect to see the vaccine by Friday.
Between five and 10 nursing homes will receive the early launch of the vaccine, although officials are still “working out the details,” DeWine said, adding that was a matter of scheduling.
“Nursing homes are all at the same priority,” DeWine said.
The governor said that the arrival of the vaccine was a “moment of hope.”
“It is the first day of the process that will continue over the months ahead as Ohioans have their opportunity to receive the vaccine,” DeWine said. “Today is a very good day for Ohio.”
Watch the full briefing:
– – –
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair.
Image “Coronavirus Vaccinations” by Gov. Mike DeWine.
