by J.D. Davidson
With COVID-19 vaccines expected in states throughout the country next week, some communities need more than others, according to a recently released study, and Ohio is home to three of those cities.
According to the personal finance website WalletHub, Cleveland, Toledo and Cincinnati rank among the top 10 of 90 large cities in the United States in terms of vaccine need based on 13 key factors, such as frontline healthcare workers, nursing home residents, essential workers, residents diagnosed with various diseases and other things.
While federal, state and local leaders continue to point toward as the vaccine as critical to returning to normal, it will not have immediate impact, according to WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. Eventually, though, she believes it will slow the spread.
“Vaccination is crucial for reopening the economy because if a significant portion of the population is vaccinated, it will drastically slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and thus make public spaces safer,” Gonzalez said. “Once we have a wide rollout of a vaccine, we can proceed to a full reopening, which should inject a lot of money into the economy and give businesses the resources they need to hire again.”
Cleveland ranks as the city needing the second-most vaccines. Toledo ranks fifth, while Cincinnati is ninth. Columbus, the state’s largest city, ranks 34th.
Earlier this week, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine outlined the state’s vaccine plan, which includes vaccinating frontline health care workers, long-term care facility staff and residents and EMS workers with the first round of doses.
The study ranks Detroit as the city in need of the most vaccines, followed by Cleveland; Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Louisville, Kentucky.
Irvine, California needs the least, according to the report. Followed by the California cities of Fremont, San Francisco and San Jose. Seattle ranks fifth on that list.
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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square.
