The state of Ohio has published a list of medical conditions that qualify residents to receive the coronavirus vaccination in the most recent phase of eligibility.
Phase 1B of vaccinations opened up this week to those with severe medical conditions or those who have early childhood conditions that impact them in adulthood. Disorders that qualify someone for the vaccine include: sickle cell anemia, Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida and people with severe Type 1 diabetes that have been hospitalized for it in the past year. It also includes those with rare metabolic disorders, severe genetic disorders and severe neurological disorders, as well as solid organ transplant candidates or recipients.
Ohioans born with the medical conditions outlined below, or those who were diagnosed in early childhood whose conditions continued into adulthood, now qualify to be vaccinated in Ohio. Find a provider near you ➡ https://t.co/ejtDyIyPVB pic.twitter.com/uAqFSIjBjQ
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) February 15, 2021
The most recent round of vaccine eligibility to open is the last in Phase 1B, which also included Ohioans 65 and older and staff of K-12 schools.
Gov. Mike DeWine said last week that the next vaccine phase would include a drop in age, although he did not give further details.
The governor said last week that he thinks the vaccine is having an impact in the state.
“When you vaccinate a million people…that is going to have an impact, but I think it is a combination of a number of things,” Dewine said. “I think if you look at the hospitals, I think that’s a direct cause and effect — fewer people in the hospitals because of COVID.”
The state has administered at least one dose of the vaccine to more than 1,300,000 people, according to data from the Ohio Department of Health. There have been more than 941,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with more than 16,000 deaths. More than 862,000 cases have been presumed recovered from the virus.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair.
