Vaccinations will soon become available to those older than 16 in Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced on Tuesday.
Starting on March 29, the Pfizer vaccine, currently the only vaccine approved for minors, will be available to Ohioans ages 16 and 17. Anyone over the age of 18 will be eligible for the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
DeWine also announced increased eligibility starting on March 19 for Ohio residents who fall into vaccine distribution phases 1E and 2C. Phase 1E includes those with cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and obesity, while Phase 2C opens eligibility to those 40 and older. Roughly 1.6 million more Ohio residents will be eligible to receive the vaccine with the addition of the two phases.
Also on Tuesday, DeWine and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and Cleveland State University announced the opening of a mass vaccination site at CSU’s Wolstein Center in Cleveland.
“This is an example of Ohio at its finest – citizens coming together to help ensure that all Ohioans, no matter where they live, have access to the vaccine,” DeWine said in a statement on Tuesday. “Today is a monumental day. With every shot, Ohio is moving closer to recovery.”
The center is expected to vaccinate approximately 1,500 Ohio residents per day and will ultimately vaccinate 210,000 people. Up to 6,000 doses per day are expected to be available by next week.
“Today is an important day in Cleveland. This type of large-scale site is essential as more people become eligible for vaccination and as new strains of the virus are discovered in our communities,” said Mayor Frank Jackson in a statement. “I encourage every eligible individual to take advantage of the vaccine when it is their turn. Thank you to President Biden and Governor DeWine for their leadership and commitment to making the availability of COVID-19 vaccines a priority. Together, we can help slow the spread.”
Ohio has vaccinated more than 20 percent of its population, according to data from the Ohio Department of Health.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair.
