The gap in vaccination numbers for Ohio and Highland County has continued to rise in both the “vaccine started” and “vaccine completed” categories.

The state average for “vaccine started” is 37.56 percent, which is significantly more than the Highland County average, which is 23.77 percent of the county’s population, according to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) COVID-19 Dashboard.

In terms of completed vaccines, the state average is 26.48 percent, whereas the Highland County average is 18.99 percent.

The dashboard lists the following COVID-19 figures for various age groups in Highland County:

* 0-19 — 117 people, or 1.05 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 20-29 — 464 people, or 9.40 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 30-39 — 677 people, or 14.04 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 40-49 — 1,006 people, or 19.09 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 50-59 — 1,829 people, or 31.58 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 60-64 — 1,379 people, or 45.26 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 65-69 — 1,404 people, or 54.23 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 70-74 — 1,271 people, or 59.56 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 75-79 — 914 people, or 60.85 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 80 and over — 1,197 people, or 61.61 percent, have started their vaccines.

According to the dashboard, 18.99 percent of the population in Highland County has completed its vaccinations, equaling 8,196 people. The ODH considers completed when “an individual has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses and is considered fully immunized.”

The dashboard lists the following COVID-19 figures for various age groups in Highland County:

* 0-19 — 42 people, or 0.38 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 20-29 — 263 people, or 5.33 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 30-39 — 416 people, or 8.63 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 40-49 — 653 people, or 12.39 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 50-59 — 1,379 people, or 23.81 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 60-64 — 1,144 people, or 37.55 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 65-69 — 1,204 people, or 46.50 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 70-74 — 1,137 people, or 53.28 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 75-79 — 844 people, or 56.19 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 80 and over — 1,114 people, or 57.33 percent, have completed their vaccines.

According to the dashboard on Monday, 37.56 percent of the Ohio population has started its vaccinations, equaling 4,390,744 people.

The dashboard lists the following COVID-19 figures for various age groups in Ohio:

* 0-19 — 123,733 people, or 4.29 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 20-29 — 408,428 people, or 26.30 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 30-39 — 498,428 people, or 33.74 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 40-49 — 569,053 people, or 41.02 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 50-59 — 770,296 people, or 49.95 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 60-64 — 492,816 people, or 61.88 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 65-69 — 481,990 people, or 72.28 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 70-74 — 406,148 people, or 77.75 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 75-79 — 269,065 people, or 75.24 percent, have started their vaccines.

* 80 and over — 370,787 people, or 74.23 percent, have started their vaccines.

According to the dashboard, 26.48 percent of the population in Ohio has completed its vaccinations, equaling 3,095,214 people.

The dashboard lists the following COVID-19 figures for various age groups in Ohio:

* 0-19 — 26,822 people, or 0.93 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 20-29 — 186,414 people, or 12.00 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 30-39 — 254,602 people, or 17.24 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 40-49 — 333,319 people, or 24.03 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 50-59 — 544,459 people, or 35.31 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 60-64 — 389,819 people, or 48.94 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 65-69 — 414,833 people, or 62.21 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 70-74 — 362,032 people, or 69.30 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 75-79 — 243,026 people, or 67.96 percent, have completed their vaccines.

* 80 and over — 339,888 people, or 68.05 percent, have completed their vaccines.

Schools in Highland County once again saw no student or staff cases, according to an ODH system that documents how each school in the county is fairing with COVID-19 numbers. New cases are reported by the most recent week which is defined as “the previous Monday through Sunday.” This system was updated last Thursday.

According to ODH’s COVID-19 Dashboard on Monday, since the pandemic began, Highland County has had 3,474 total COVID-19 cases, 185 hospitalizations, 59 deaths and 3,348 presumed recovered from the virus.

Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.