COVID-19 Alert - December 21

By the Numbers:

• Individuals Tested: 7,054,273

• 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 43

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

• Total Cases: 629,354 (40,212of which are health care workers)

• Case Increase in Last 24-Hour Period: 6,548

• 21 Day Reported Case Average: 9,919

• Total Deaths: 8,122

• Deaths Reported in Last 24-Hour Period: 75

• 21 Day Reported Death Average: 81

• Total Hospitalizations: 35,048 (5,537 of which are in the intensive care unit)

• Hospitalization Increase in last 24-Hour Period: 301

• 21 Day Reported Hospitalizations Average: 390

Ohio Exceeds 8,000 COVID-19 Deaths:

• Governor DeWine announced that on Saturday, Ohio surpassed 8,000 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths.

• As of today, 8,122 people infected with the coronavirus have died since the beginning of the pandemic.

Vaccinations at Ohio Nursing Homes:

• On Friday, Ohio vaccinated its first nursing home residents and staff. Vaccinations will continue this week.

• Log on to OhioChannel.org to watch live as vaccines are given at nursing homes in Centerville and Ashtabula.

Ohio National Guard to Administer Vaccines:

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Ohio National Guard received a waiver that will allow them to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine. The waiver gives the Ohio National Guard the flexibility to fully utilize National Guard medical personnel trained in administering the vaccine.

• Major General Harris participated in the Governor’s press conference to explain how the Ohio National Guard will assist with administering the vaccine. The Ohio National Guard has approximately 600 members who are medical personnel, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and medics. Ohio is working to determine how it will best utilize Guard medical personnel without adversely affecting Ohio health care systems’ critical medical resources by removing Guard members from their civilian medical positions.

Training Available for Ohioans:

• Lt. Governor Husted reminded Ohioans about the Individual Microcredential Assistance Program (IMAP), which is a program available to Ohioans who are low income, partially unemployed, or totally unemployed to earn a tech-focused credential for free.

• There are 11 IMAP training providers and 54 eligible credentials available, and 37 of these credentials can be completed 100 percent online. Those interested should visit IMAP.Development.Ohio.gov to apply.

County-by-County:

• Governor DeWine said that there are 17 counties with a case rate over 1,000 meaning that at least 1% of the people in these counties currently have, or very recently had, COVID-19 and are at risk of spreading the virus.

• He also pointed out the top 20 counties: Wyandot, Brown, Jefferson, Harrison, Richland, Pickaway, Crawford, Jackson, Sandusky, Muskingum, Gallia, Erie, Williams, Huron, Warren, Stark, Fulton, Clermont, Marion and Darke.