By: Mahoning Matters Staff; 1812Blockhouse
According to the latest figures on Monday from the Ohio Department of Health, the state is reporting 760,837 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, to date — 3,215 more than reported Sunday,The weekly volume of virus testing statewide continues a slump that began in late November. The average percent of positive tests, however, also continues to trend downward and has reached its lowest point since early November.
So far this month, agencies statewide have administered an average 10,287 fewer tests per day than in December. More…
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by Ryan Gabrielson, Caroline Chen and Mollie Simon, ProPublica
As reports emerge across the country of health facilities throwing out unused and spoiled COVID-19 vaccines, some state governments are failing to track the wastage as required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leaving officials coordinating immunization efforts blind to exactly how many of the precious, limited doses are going into the trash and why. More…
By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal
Eight teachers’ unions throughout the state are pushing Gov. Mike DeWine to rethink his timeline for school reopening and vaccine distribution.
In a joint statement distributed by the Ohio Federation of Teachers and signed by the presidents of the unions in Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown, the leaders expressed disappointment with DeWine’s plan, saying his administration is using the vaccine “as a bargaining chip.”
“While we expect there will be no consequences for schools that fail to meet this commitment, that doesn’t mean the Governor isn’t harming communities with this action,” the statement reads. “Parents across the state now have unrealistic expectations for a March 1 reopening that simply will not be possible in many school districts.” More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
Avita Health System has received a limited number of COVID-19 vaccines to administer to the public for Phase 1B of Ohio’s Phased Approach.
As of Thursday, Bucyrus, Galion, and Ontario Hospitals are taking vaccine requests from persons 80 years of age and older. To request an appointment, call 419-468-0800 Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Requests will not be accepted from those who do not meet the minimum age requirement. Walk-in appointments are not available.
“The public will be scheduled for their COVID-19 vaccine at Avita on a first come, first serve basis,” explains Jerome Morasko, CEO / President of Avita Health System. “We have a limited number of doses to administer from our first shipment of vaccines for Phase 1B, which is outlined to start with those 80 years of age and older. As this phase progresses, many others will get a turn to be vaccinated.” More…
By 1812Blockhouse
The Shelby City Health Department has announced that COVID-19 vaccinations will begin this Thursday, January 14, for individuals identified in Phase IA of the State of Ohio rollout plan.
At present, that includes the following:
By 1812Blockhouse
The end of the Christmas and New Year’s holiday COVID-19 infection watch is within sight, and local numbers reported Monday by Richland Public Health do show a continued rise in cases.
The statistics are sobering and key numbers have reached record levels, with infection totals increasing by over 75& in the last month. On December 7, the total number of confirmed and probable cases stood at 4,627; it is now at 8,386.
Assuming that each person would become infected only once, the number of cumulative cases would now represent approximately 6.7% of county residents. More…
Coronavirus, Featured, Public Health, Richland Public Health
By 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction reported numbers on Sunday for levels of COVID-19 infection and related statistics.
So far in January, 1,713 tests have been administered with 151 positive results.
Richland County numbers included a large quarantined population at MANCI, the second highest of any facility in the system. For these statistics, Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed, or potentially exposed, to a contagious disease to see if they become sick More…
By Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal
Gov. Mike DeWine explained more of the planned roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations for schools on Thursday, and a state teachers union said the criteria involved has members concerned.
DeWine said the plan as of now is to start vaccinating school personnel in the first week of February, with a goal for schools who receive vaccinations to return to in-person instruction by March 1.
“The sole rationale of vaccinating teachers and others in schools is to open up schools,” DeWine said on Thursday. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
When the Ohio Public Health Advisory System was updated on Thursday afternoon, Richland County found itself in a very familiar place.
A place, in fact, which is occupied by 83 other counties in Ohio.
Meeting only one indicator, that being that of new COVID-19 cases per capita, the county was at “Red” or “Level Three” for another week. There have been 858 new cases in the preceding two weeks, representing a total of 708.19 cases per 100,000 population. More…
On Tuesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff provided the following updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
VACCINATION PHASES
Governor DeWine today recapped Phases 1A and 1B of Ohio’s vaccine distribution plan. Because the availability of the vaccine remains limited in Ohio and across the country, Ohio is taking a phased approach that prioritizes the most vulnerable citizens, those in the healthcare field, and school staff members.
Phase 1A, which is currently underway, includes approximately 1 million Ohioans. More…
By Marty Schladen, Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine got a lot of attention Wednesday when he said that 60% of nursing home workers who were offered a coronavirus vaccine refused to take it.
But state health officials on Thursday said there’s no organized effort to track refusals among people they consider so critical that they’ve been given first crack at the scarce vaccines.
In a press conference, DeWine implored people who are eligible for the vaccine to accept it, warning that it could be a long time before they get another chance. That argument might seem pretty compelling, given that a fast-spreading variant of the virus has popped up in two states, ICU beds are filling and the two approved vaccines have trickled out at a rate far lower than the Trump administration promised. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
This week, Governor DeWine provided updates on Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in reference to vaccines,school quarantine guidance changes, curfew extension, the availability of grants to Ohio bars and restaurants, and current case data as of Wednesday, December 30.
OHIO VACCINES
Ohio is expected to receive more than 238,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines next week. Governor DeWine encouraged those administering the vaccine to do so with urgency. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
It has been a year unlike any other in our lifetimes, as a pandemic which struck without regard to social or economic status not only ravaged populations worldwide, but altered the ways in which Americans, Ohioans, and Richland Countians live and work. The changes have been dramatic and many continue.
On the last day of the year we look back at the story of this public health crisis as told in the pages and posts of 1812Blockhouse.
It is difficult to know how many posts had the pandemic as a topic. A quick look at analytics revealed that there were 266 posts that referenced the word “COVID,” and 162 that included the word “coronavirus,” but some of those would have occurred in the same article. More…
Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Richland County Unified Messaging Team has launched the “Count On Me Richland County” campaign in an effort to keep the Richland County community up-to-date about COVID-19 facts, suggested guidelines, updates, local impact and ways to support ourselves and each other as we all work to CANCEL COVID in our community.
Lead by Dr. Julie Chaya at Richland Public Health, the Richland County Unified Messaging Team includes area leaders and communication experts from Destination Mansfield-Richland County, DRM Productions, Integrity Project Management, OhioHealth Mansfield, Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, and the Richland County Foundation combining their resources to serve Richland County in this unusual time. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
North Central State College is taking a serious and considered start to the new year.
That was made clear in a letter sent to the NCSC Community this past week by President &CEO Dorey Diab. Diab shared the basic plan for restarting classes after the first of the year:
“Starting January 11, we will begin the semester totally online for the first week. All classes will meet online for that first week, and no in-person, on-campus classes will be held until Tuesday, January 19th. More…
