The supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Highland County is continuing to improve, according to a Monday update from Highland County Health Commissioner Jared Warner on his department’s Facebook page.
Warner said the availability of vaccines is improving in the county, and that Corner Pharmacy in Greenfield, Highland Health Providers in Hillsboro and the Highland County Health department are all scheduling vaccine appointments this week.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine was also recently approved and several of the providers in the county were chosen to receive some of them this week. Warner, however, said the department doesn’t know when that will be. This is why he said he is “not going to share any of this info until these providers are ready to handle phone calls and vaccine administration.”
According to Warner, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine has not shown to be as effective as the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in preventing COVID-19 illness. However, he said it has been “incredibly effective” in helping to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death.
“I would encourage anyone looking for vaccine to take whatever is available at the time,” Warner said. All of our vaccines have proved to be incredibly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death.”
According to the Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, 5.09 percent of the county’s population has completed their vaccinations, 5.09 percent to be exact. Completed, according to the ODH, means someone has “received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and is considered fully immunized.”
According to the ODH, 2,196 of the county’s residents have completed their vaccines.
The specific percentage of people that have completed their vaccines, broken down into different age groups, are as follows:
* Ages 0-19 — Six individuals or 0.05 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 20-29 — 86 individuals or 1.74 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 30-39 — 152 individuals or 3.15 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 40-49 — 203 individuals or 3.85 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 50-59 — 253 individuals or 4.37 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 60-64 — 117 individuals or 3.84 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 65-69 — 0 individuals or 3.48 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 70-74 — 199 individuals or 9.33 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 75-79 — 344 individuals or 22.90 percent have completed their vaccinations.
* Ages 80 plus-746 individuals or 38.39 percent have completed their vaccinations.
Warner said that the case count is continuing downward for the county and most of the state. He also said he thinks people will see more counties drop from “Red to Orange or Yellow in the next couple of weeks.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine released a new update Tuesday that amends some of the information from a prior update regarding new sport and entertainment events as well as other gatherings.
Some of the changes include wedding receptions, funeral repasts, proms and other events, whether food is served or not, at banquet facilities will follow previously signed health mandates. Those mandates include those regarding restaurants and facial coverings. Events at banquet facilities don’t have a 300-person limitation anymore, but only if they follow the other health mandates.
DeWine also further detailed the requirements for sports and entertainment locations:
* The maximum number of spectators in indoor sports venues will be 25 percent of the fixed, seated capacity.
* The maximum for outdoor sports venues will be 30 percent of the fixed, seated capacity.
* The maximum allowed for indoor entertainment venues will be 25 percent of the fixed, seated capacity.
* The maximum for outdoor entertainment locations will be 30 percent of the fixed, seated capacity.
Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.
