COVID-19 Alert December 15

 By the Numbers:

• Individuals Tested: 6,952,631

• 88 counties with at least one case

• Ages range from less than one year old to 111 years of age, with a median age of 42

• State of Ohio COVID-19 dashboard: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home/dashboard

• Total Cases: 579,357 (37,439 of which are health care workers)

• Case Increase in Last 24-Hour Period: 8,755

• 21 Day Reported Case Average: 9,879

• Total Deaths: 7,654

• Deaths Reported in Last 24-Hour Period: 103

• 21 Day Reported Death Average: 73

• Total Hospitalizations: 32,878 (5,283 of which are in the intensive care unit)

• Hospitalization Increase in last 24-Hour Period: 614

• 21 Day Reported Hospitalizations Average: 372

Nearly 100,000 Vaccinations Delivered Throughout Ohio:

• Seven hospitals in Ohio received their first vaccine shipments today, bringing the total number of vaccine doses delivered to Ohio over the past two days to 98,475.

• Governor and First Lady DeWine were present this morning for the delivery of the vaccine shipment to Mercy Health Springfield Regional Medical Center and Lt. Governor Jon Husted visited OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus as they received their first delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.

• In addition to the two aforementioned hospitals, COVID-19 vaccine shipments of 975 doses apiece were also delivered to:

  • Mercy Health St. Vincent Hospital, Lucas County

  • Cleveland Clinic, Cuyahoga County

  • Metro Health Medical Center, Cuyahoga County

  • Aultman Hospital, Stark County

  • Genesis Hospital, Muskingum County

• An additional 975-dose shipment was delivered today to OhioHealth Riverside Hospital for use at OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital in Athens.

Vaccination Outlook for Reminder of the Year:

• Although vaccine supplies are currently limited, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has advised that Ohio will continue to receive vaccinations throughout the month of December.

• Next week, Ohio is expected to receive 123,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, as well as 201,900 doses of the Moderna vaccine.

• During the week of New Year’s, Ohio is expected to receive an additional 148,000 Pfizer vaccines and an additional 89,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine.

Record Numbers Continue for Hospitalizations & ICUs:

• Governor DeWine indicated that while there is good reason to be optimistic about the COVID-19 vaccination, Ohio still has our work cut out for us to slow the spread of the virus and not overwhelm our hospitals until enough Ohioans can be vaccinated.

• Currently, Ohioans continue to be hospitalized at record numbers. As of today, 5,296 patients are hospitalized throughout the state and 1,311 of those patients are in intensive care units.

• Ohio currently has more patients in the ICU than it had total for all COVID-19 hospitalized patients during the previous peak last summer. There are currently 863 patients who need a ventilator, as compared to 360 patients on ventilators a month ago.

Local Health Department Vaccination Guidance:

• Next week, local health departments in Ohio that registered as providers are expected to begin receiving vaccines. Today, Governor DeWine outlined guidance on individuals who should be prioritized by health departments during Phase 1A.

• Local health departments should coordinate the vaccinations of congregate care residents and staff, such as those at nursing homes and assisted living facilities, who are not enrolled in the federal long-term care pharmacy programs or are not registered as providers themselves. This includes people with developmental disabilities and those with mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, who live in group homes, residential facilities, or centers, as well as staff.

• In addition, local health departments should prioritize vaccinating other healthcare providers who are not being vaccinated by hospitals and health systems and are not enrolled as providers themselves. These providers could include:

  • Home health workers

  • Hospice workers

  • Emergency medical services responders

  • Primary care practitioners

  • Free-standing emergency department, urgent care, pharmacy, and dialysis center providers not vaccinated by hospitals or healthcare systems

  • Dental providers

  • Public health employees who are at risk of exposure or transmission, such as vaccinators

  • Mobile unit practitioners

  • Federally-qualified health center providers

  • High-risk ancillary health care staff members