1,006,171 cases in Ohio; 423,414 in Kentucky; 682,099 in Indiana

LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL, AND IT IS WORKING VERY WELL. WHEN WE OPENED WE THOUGHT WE WOULD EASE FOLLOWING WHAT OTHER STATES HAD SEEN SO WE STARTED AT 15 AND WHAT TO 15, 3000, 4500, NOW WE ARE FAIRLY STEADY AT 6000 PER DAY. SO THAT’S A GREAT TRIBUTE TO EVERYONE WHO IS THERE. AND IT IS A GREAT THING, WHEN YOU WALK AROUND THERE TO SEE ALL OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, WHO ARE MAKING IT WORK WELL. I HAD A FRIEND WHO TEXTED ME AND HOUR AGO SAID HE WENT IN AND SAID HE WAS IN AND OUT IN THE SHORT TIME SO VERY WELL-RUN AND VERY EFFICIENT. DIRECTOR, THANK YOU, VERY WELL-RUN AND THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE WE TALKED ABOUT OUR CENTRAL SCHEDULING TOOL. GET THE SHOT. CORONAVIRUS.GOV THE TOOL IS ONLINE ALLOWS YOU TO REGISTER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. WE ALSO NOTE SOME FOLKS MAY NOT HAVE A COMPUTER OR INTERNET. MANY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS HAVE A NUMBER YOU CAN CALL FOR THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEY WILL SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR YOU AND BEYOND THAT IF YOU NEED HELP SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS, WE URGE YOU TO CALL OUR COVID-19 HOTLINE. IF THERE ARE APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE, OUR TEAM WILL HELP YOU REGISTER. 1-833-427-5634. LAST WEEK, WE TALKED ABOUT INVOLVING THE ORDERS -- EVOLVING FOR VISITATION TO NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES. TODAY I WANT TO GO OVER SPECIFICS OF WHAT WE INCLUDED IN THE UPDATED HEALTH DIRECTORS’ORDER. ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES NEED TO FOLLOW THE OHIO ORDER. BUT NURSING HOMES NEED TO FILE THE OHIO ORDER PLUS THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS. IN THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES, KNOWN AS CMS. WE WORK HARD TO ALIGN THE OHIO ORDERS WITH THE FEDERAL GUIDANCE FOR NURSING HOMES TO KEEP IT CLEAR, MAKE IT SIMPLE, AND ENCOURAGE VISITATION. SO, THE FOLLOWING IS GENERAL VISITATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BOTH NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING. GENERAL VISITATIONS REMAIN THE SAME. VISITORS NEED TO BE SCREENED FOR COVID-19 SYMPTOMS AT THE FRONT DOOR. THERE NEEDS TO BE OF HIS OR LOG IN CASE WE NEED TO DO CONTACT TRACING LATER -- A VISIT TOUR LOG IN CASE WE NEED TO DO CONTACT TRACING. VISITORS NEED TO WEAR A MASK AND THE HOME NEEDS TO KEEP UP WITH CLEANING AND SANITIZING. AND VISITS NEED TO BE SCHEDULED IN ADVANCE. HERE ARE THE CHANGES, THE BIG CHANGES, TO SUPPORT VISITATION IN THE SAFEWAY. AGAIN, THESE ARE FOR NURSING HOMES AS WELL AS ASSISTED LIVING. PREVIOUSLY, IS THE TATIAN WAS PERMITTED, NOT REQUIRED, NOW, THIS IS A CHANGE. WE ARE REQUIRING NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING TO HAVE VISITATION, WHEN EVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CRITERIA ARE MET. SECOND, WE ARE ALLOWING VACCINATED RESIDENTS TO HAVE PHYSICAL TOUCH WITH THEIR VISITORS WHILE WEARING A MASK. PREVIOUSLY BEING ABLE TO HUG SOMEONE WAS DISCOURAGED. THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED. THREE, WE ARE PERMITTING VISITATION TO A RESIDENT’S PRIVATE ROOM. THIS IS FOR NURSING HOMES AND OTHERS. PREVIOUS TO HAD A SEPARATE ROOM. WE ARE SETTING 30 MINUTES AS A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME WE ARE TELLING NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING, SOMEONE COMES TO VISIT, YOU HAVE TO ALLOW THEM AT LEAST, AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. NEXT, WE ARE EXPANDING THE LIST OF EXAMPLES AND COMPASSIONATE CARE VISITS SHOULD BE GRANTED, AND YOU WILL FIND THOSE ON THE WEBPAGE. PREVIOUSLY THE LIST HAD FOUR INSTANCES AND NOW IT HAS NINE EXAMPLES OF COMPASSIONATE VISITATION. THE ORDERS WE ARE ISSUING ALSO ARE UPDATING WHAT TESTING IS REQUIRED IN THE NURSING HOMES, AND ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES. ALTHOUGH MANY RESIDENTS ARE VACCINATED, WE THINK 90%, AND EVERYONE WHO WANT TO THE VACCINATION HAS RECEIVED ONE. WE NEED TO CONTINUE REGULARLY TESTING FOR THE VIRUS. SCIENCE -- IT IS GOOD SCIENCE AND IT WILL HELP US IDENTIFY CASES EARLY AND HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD WORD AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, THE SPREAD HAS GONE DOWN DISTRAUGHT -- DRAMATICALLY. FURTHER, IF COVID IS CONTROLLED, THAT MEANS LESS DISRUPTION TO VISITATION. WE WILL BE ASKING NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING TO TEST ACTIVATED STAFF ONCE PER WEEK. SO, IF YOU’RE A STAFF MEMBER, AND YOU WORK IN A, NURSING HOME OR ASSISTED LIVING YOU WILL BE TESTED ONCE PER WEEK, IF YOU HAVE BEEN VACCINATED. HOWEVER, ON VACCINATED STAFF - THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED -IT WILL BE TWO TIMES PER WEEK AND THAT WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE. AGAIN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER STAFF MEMBERS, AS WE ARE, ANY ON VACCINATED RESIDENTS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE VACCINATED. YOU WILL CONTINUE WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER THEM THAT. TO REPEAT, WE WILL ASK HOMES TO TEST VACCINATED STAFF ONCE PER WEEK, AND ON VACCINATED STAFF TWICE PER WEEK. WE SHOULD NOTE THERE ARE STILL TIMES WHEN VISITATION WILL BE RESTRICTED, IF THERE IS AN OUTBREAK THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY. STILL VERY IMPORTANT FOR FACILITIES TO REPORT INTO THE VISITATION DASHBOARD, AND TO ANOTHER COUNTY POSITIVITY RATE. THE DASHBOARD IS AVAILABLE ON CORONAVIRUS. OHIO.GOV SO ANYONE CAN LOOK AT THAT. LET’S LOOK AT OUR DATA TODAY. TO STATE THE OBVIOUS WE HAVE CROSSED MILESTONE, WITH ONE MILLION CASES. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CASES, WHAT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IS, WHEN I WOULD DESCRIBE AS A PLATEAU OF CASES. THEY WERE GOING DOWN FOR A WHILE. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE LEVELED OUT. WE WILL HAVE TO SEE WHERE THAT GOES. WE KNOW THAT MICHIGAN, FOR EXAMPLE, IS SEEING A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CASES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE STATE. WE ARE ALSO SEEN THAT IN WEST VIRGINIA, IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE STATE. BOTH STATES BORDER ON OHIO. AS DR. VANDER HUFF HAS TALKED ABOUT, THIS VARIANT BEING MORE CONTAGIOUS, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE WE ARE. SO IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE IN A PLATEAU AT THIS POINT. HOSPITALIZATIONS DOWN A LITTLE BIT FROM A 21 DAY AVERAGE, ICU ADMISSIONS UP FROM THE 21 DAY AVERAGE. AGAIN, THIS IS 88 COUNTIES RANKED BY HIGHEST OCCURRENCE. WE DO HAVE SOME BELOW 100, AND THE REST ARE ABOVE. 100 IS HIGH INCIDENCE LEVEL. THIS IS THE TOP 20. CLARK COUNTY AND CRAWFORD COUNTY THE TWO HIGHEST. CLARK AT 232. SO THAT IS TWO TIMES THE HEIGHT INCIDENTS -- HIGH INCIDENCE. THE GOOD NEWS AND CLARK IS THEY ARE AT A GOOD CLIP, AND THAT IS THE RACE THAT WE ARE SEEING. WE HAVE TO KEEP FOCUSING ON THAT. THE HAS TO DO WITH HOSPITALIZATIONS. AS YOU SAW, THEY HAD BEEN GOING DOWN. WE SEE AN UPTICK IN THOSE. WHETHER THAT IS A LONG-TERM TREND, WE STILL DO NOT KNOW. IT IS STILL A FAIRLY FLAT NUMBER. DR. VANDER HUFF, YOU AND I TALKED A FEW MINUTES AGO, IN REGARD TO CASES LEVELING OFF, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN HOSPITALS AS SIMILAR TO THAT AT THIS POINT AND THAT IS A CHANGE. WE GOT USED TO THIS GOING DOWN AND ARE HAPPY EVERY DAY TO EVERYONE IT WAS GOING DOWN. NOW, WE ARE SEEING KIND OF A PLATEAU. SO, WE CONTINUE TO VACCINATE PEOPLE, WHERE AT 2.8 MILLION AS OF TODAY, SO WE CONTINUE TO MOVE DOING THAT BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE SEEING THIS VARIANT, SO I WONDER IF YOU CAN MAKE SENSE OUT OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING? >> CERTAINLY. THANK YOU MS, GOVERNOR. FIRST WE HAVE TO -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOVERNOR. FIRST, SPRING IS UPON US, BRINGING WARMER TEMPERATURES AND SUNSHINE. FOR COVID HEADLINES THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING, AND I THINK WE ARE ALL EAGER AFTER A VERY LONG HALL, TO GET OUR LIVES BACK. AND ALL OF THIS TOGETHER I THINK CAN TEMPT US TO LOWER OUR GUARD. THERE IS NO DOUBT, EVERY DAY WE ARE IN FACT GETTING CLOSER TO VICTORY. BUT WE HAVE NOT REACHED THE FINISH LIKELY YET. AS YOU NOTED, GOVERNOR, STATES AROUND US, ESPECIALLY MICHIGAN AND WEST VIRGINIA, HAVE SEEN UPTURNS AGAIN. THANKFULLY, WE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE VACCINES INTO ARMS EVERY DAY. YET WE ARE ALSO SEEING MORE AND MORE ACTIVITY FROM THE VARIANTS. IN FACT, WE HAVE NOW DOCUMENTED WITH GENOMIC ANALYSIS 173 VARIANT CASES INCLUDING SOME OF THE NEW CALIFORNIA VARIANCE -- VARIANTS, B147 AND 129. OUR TOTAL BEARING CAP WAS ONLY 32 -- OUR TOTAL VARIANT ACCOUNT WAS ONLY 32 A FEW WEEKS AGO. SO THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND. WE ARE IN THE FINAL STRETCH OF A MARATHON. WE NEED TO KEEP MASKING AND DISTANCING, EVEN AS MORE OF US ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES TO GET VACCINATED AND GET US ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. THANK YOU, GOVERNOR. >> DOCTOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. QUESTIONS? >> GOVERNO ADJUST THE AMOUNTS OF VACCINE GOING TO RURAL AREAS A TWEAK AND DIVERT SURPLUS TO URBAN AREAS WHERE THE DEMAND IS HIGHER? -- IF YOU MISCALCULATED DEMAND IN RURAL AREAS, WHY NOT ADJUST AND DIVERT SURPLUS TO URBAN AREAS WHERE DEMAND IS HIGHER? IS THAT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? >> WE HAVE FOLLOWED A FORMULA AND IT IS A POPULATION FORMULA. IT IS 80% BASED ON POPULATION AND 20% BASED UPON THE POVERTY LEVEL AND OTHER SOCIAL INDICATORS IN THE COUNTY. THERE’S A 20% FACTOR IN ON THAT. WE SEND THOSE OUT, BY COUNTY, EVERY WEEK. WE LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY, WHERE THEY WANT THEM SENT. WE STARTED WITH A SYSTEM OF 700 LOCATIONS AND WE ARE NOW UP TO 1300 LOCATIONS. WHERE LARRY ON TOP OF THAT, -- LAYERING ON TOP OF THAT, MASS VACCINATION SITES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP 10 COUNTIES, GETTING THE MOST VACCINATION OUT, BY POPULATION, YOU WILL SEE A NUMBER OF RURAL COUNTIES IN THERE. SO, IT IS NOT JUST A QUESTION OF RURAL NOT TAKING THE VACCINE, URBAN TAKING THE VACCINE, THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE SEEING. BUT WHEN WE SEND IT OUT TO 1300 LOCATIONS, THERE IS BOUND TO BE PLACES WHERE IT DOES NOT TAKE UP , THE UPTAKE IS NOT GOING TO BE CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE STATE OF OHIO. SO, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE SEEN SOME SHIFTING. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE HAD SOME OF THE CHAIN DRUGSTORES THAT HAVE SEEN MORE UPTICK IN ONE AREA VERSUS ANOTHER AREA. AND WE HAVE GIVEN THEM PERMISSION TO SHIFT THAT TWO AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE MORE NEED FOR IT. WE ARE NOW ENTERING THE FINAL PHASE AS FAR AS OPENING IT UP. SO, IN ONE WEEK WE WILL OPEN THIS UP. AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS THEN. WE HAVE FOCUSED ON EQUITY. WE HAVE FOCUSED, NOT JUST BY RACE OR INCOME, BUT EQUITY, BASED UPON GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AS WELL. SO WE TRIED TO BE FAIR TO EVERY COUNTY. EVERY COUNTY, BASICALLY THE SAME AMOUNT PER CAPITA POPULATION, 80% OF THAT. AND 20% FOR THE OTHER INDICATOR. AND WE THINK THAT HAS WORKED. BUT WITH 1300 PLACES, THERE IS BOUND TO BE SOME THAT DO NOT TAKE IT UP AS QUICK AS OTHERS. SO, THE WOMEN HAVE DEALT WITH THAT IS TO OPEN THAT UP -- THE WAY THAT WE HAVE DEALT WITH THAT IS TO OPEN THAT UP. BEGINNING NEXT WEEK WE WILL SEE WHERE WE GO AND GO FROM THERE. OUR GOAL IS THE SAME, FAIRNESS. TO GET IT OUT TO EVERYONE THAT WANTS IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. LET NO VACCINE SIT ON A SHELF OR IN A PHARMACY OR ANY VERY LONG, AND GET IT OUT. BECAUSE THIS IS LIFESAVING. IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT OPENING THIS UP TO 16 AT ABOVE, ARE THEY ADVERTISING HOW TO GET YOUR VACCINE WHERE YOU CAN GIVE IT TO EVERYBODY? OR HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW? ALSO, ARE WE STARTING TO REACH A PART WHERE VACCINE HESITANCY IS, ARE WE STARTING TO TO WALT WITH -- A WALL? >> LOOK, IT IS, PLEASE DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING. I’M NOT SING THIS IS WIDESPREAD, THE PEOPLE ARE NOT FILLING UP. I’M SAYING OUT OF 1300 WHO TOLD US WE ARE NOT FILLING UP TODAY -- OUT OF SOME OUT OF 1300 WHO TOLD US WE ARE NOT FILLING UP TODAY, I THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE WE NOT LET THAT AT ANY TIME SET. BUT THE MAJORITY PLACES ARE FILLING UP AND ARE FLING UP VERY, VERY QUICKLY. AND WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT WOULD OCCUR MOVING FORWARD. WE HAVE SOME PLACES BOOKED OUT FOR TWO WEEKS. SO, WHEN I AM TALKING ABOUT IS A MINORITY OF PLACES, AND WE JUST WANT TO GET THEM PERMISSION, TO THEM SITTING THERE WAITING, WITHOUT VACCINE, WE WANT TO GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO OPEN THAT UP. AND BY ANNOUNCING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SWITCH OVER, AND BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THOSE WHO ARE 16 AND ABOVE. SO, YOU GOTTA FINE-TUNE IT EVERY DAY. WE LOOK AT THIS EVERY SINGLE DAY. >> THIS MORNING YOU SENT A LETTER TO A GOP LAWMAKER IN THE HOUSE, OUTLINING WHAT YOU SAID ARE YOUR GREAT CONCERNS REGARDING SENATE BILL 22. YOU PROMISED TO VETO THE BILL. DOES SENATE PRESIDENT HOUSE SPEAKER PROMISED TO OVERRIDE THE BELL. WHAT IS A COMPROMISE LOOK LIKE AT THIS POINT AND HOW’D YOU GET THAT DONE, LOGISTICALLY? >> WE SENT THEM A PROPOSED COMPROMISE. I’M NOT GOING TO NEGOTIATE IN PUBLIC AT THIS POINT. BUT WE SENT THEM A COMPROMISE WE FELT ABOUT THEM TO HAVE THE OVERSIGHT THEY WANT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, FIXED SOME OF THE PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THIS BILL. THE LETTER I SENT, IS A REALLY, I THINK, A DISTILLATION, A SUMMARY, OF THE PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH THIS BILL. THIS IS A LETTER THAT I WORKED ON OVER THE WEEKEND, OUR TEAM WORKED ON OVER THE WEEKEND, TO REALLY LAY OUT TO MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, EXACTLY WHAT IT WOULD MEAN, FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. WHAT WOULD MEAN FOR THE SAFETY OF OHIO CITIZENS, IF IT BECAME LAW, AND ONE THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT, IS THAT, THE BILL, THAT WAS PASSED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND BY THE SENATE, BY THE HOUSE, WILL HAVE AN IMPACT FAR BEYOND, FAR BEYOND, THIS PANDEMIC. IT SHOULD NOT BE LOOKED AT AS LEGISLATURE’S ANSWER TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN A PANDEMIC, BECAUSE IT GOES SO MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT. IT REALLY DECIMATES, WHAT DECIMATE, LOCAL HEALTH -- WOULD DECIMATE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS’ABILITY TO KEEP THEIR CITIZENS SAFE AND THINGS WELL BEYOND, WILL BE ON THIS PANDEMIC. AND WE OUTLINED IN THEERE, VERY SPECIFIC THINGS. TO RECAP A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS. ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THE BILL, IS, IT SAYS, QUARANTINING COULD NOT OCCUR, UNLESS THERE IS A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS, A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS, EITHER OF THE INDIVIDUAL INVOLVED, OR, THE PERSON WHO THEY WERE EXPOSED TO WAS MEDICALLY DIAGNOSED. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WELL, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST BEGINNING OF THIS STORY, TO MIAMI UNIVERSITY STUDENT WERE COMING BACK FROM WUHAN. THEY CAME BACK TO THE CAMPUS. THEY QUARANTINED AND DID EVERYTHING ANYBODY ASKED THEM TO DO. BUT, IF THEY HAD REFUSED, AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT, WE ARE NOT GOING TO QUARANTINED, WE ARE GOING TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT TO, THIS BILL WOULD MEAN THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO HAVE THEM QUARANTINED AT ALL. IN THIS CASE, AS YOU KNOW, THEY TURNED OUT, IT TURNED OUT THEY DID NOT TEST POSITIVE. BUT AT THAT TIME, WE HAD NO PLACE TO TEST THEM IN THE STATE OF OHIO. WE HAD TO SEND THIS OUT TO THE CDC. IT TOOK OVER FIVE DAYS BEFORE WE GOT RESULTS BACK. SO, THEY WERE NOT MEDICALLY DIAGNOSED. FOR FIVE DAYS. AND IF THEY HAVE BEEN POSITIVE, AND IF THIS BILL HAVE BEEN IN EFFECT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE NO ABILITY TO QUARANTINED THEM. THEY COULD ASK THEM TO COME UP WITH A HAVE COMPELLED THEM TO QUARANTINED. EBOLA IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. YOU KNOW, THE LETTER POINTS OUT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OHIO WHO HAVE COME BACK FROM EBOLA AREAS. WHILE WE DO NOT THINK THE RISK IS HIGH, THEY ARE BEING MONITORED. I’M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOMENT, DR. VANDER HUFF, TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS IN THE MEDICAL SCIENCES, AND HOW YOU DIAGNOSE SOMEONE WHO HAS EBOLA. BUT, AGAIN, THIS BILL SAYS, YOU HAVE TO MEDICALLY DIAGNOSE THEM, BEFORE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING. THE TWO MIAMI STUDENTS, YOU COULD NOT MEDICALLY DIAGNOSE THEM UNTIL HE GOT A TEST AND WE DO NOT EVEN HAVE A TEST IN THE STATE OF OHIO, AND IT TOOK FIVE DAYS TO GET THE BACK. AND WE CERTAINLY DID NOT KNOW WHO THEY HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO, OR DID NOT HAVE A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS OF ANYBODY WHO THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO, IN CHINA. EBOLA, IT IS THE BASIC SAME PRINCIPLE. WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS A DANGEROUS WORLD. WE HAVE STATE TERRORISTS, NONSTATE TERRORISTS.WHAT IF THEY DECIDE TO INTRODUCE THE PLAGUE OR SMALLPOX OR SOMETHING ELSE TO THE UNITED STATES? AGAIN, THE ABILITY TO QUARANTINED IS GOING TO BE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. THE BILL, FURTHER, TO TAKE ANOTHER EXAMPLE, MAYBE EVEN MORE ROUTINE EXAMPLE,. THAT IS, THE BILL SAYS NO GENERAL ORDER. YOU CANNOT MAKE A GENERAL ORDER ABOUT SOMETHING. THINK OF THE SITUATION, WHERE THERE’S AN E. COLI BREAKOUT, AND IT IS TRACED BACK TO A SUPPLIER IN REGARD TO ROMAINE LETTUCE THE ORDER NORMALLY THAT WOULD GO OUT WOULD SAY ANYBODY WHO HAS BOUGHT THAT ROMAINE LETTUCE, ANYONE WHO HAS IT, NEEDS TO DO CERTAIN THINGS, ANY RESTAURANT, ANYPLACE, ANY GROCERY STORE, ANYPLACE ELSE. THAT WOULD BE A GENERAL ORDER AND THAT TYPE OF ORDER WOULD BE SUSPECT UNDER THIS BILL. DR. VANDER HOFF, LAMY FLIP IT BACK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE MEDICAL SIDE OF THIS. YOU WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL AS YOU PUT THIS LETTER TOGETHER THIS WEEKEND AND WE RELIED UPON YOUR MEDICAL EXPERTISE AS WELL AS THE EXPERTISE OF OTHERS. I WANT TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THERE. DR. VANDER HOFF: LET ME BEGIN WITH MEDICAL ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE. THESE ARE SOME OF THE OLDEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE HEALTH MEASURES TO LIMITING SERIOUS COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. THEY HAVE A HISTORY DATING BACK TO BIBLICAL TIMES. ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE REALLY HELP PROTECT THE PUBLIC BY REDUCING THE RISK OF EXPOSURE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE OR, IN THE CASE OF QUARANTINE, HAVE NOT YET BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE. QUARANTINE IS PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN LIMITING THE SPREAD OF DISEASES THAT CAN OCCUR BEFORE A PERSON KNOWS THEY ARE SICK. IN FACT, THROUGHOUT HISTORY, QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL FOR CONTAINING OUTBREAKS OF A HOST OF CONTAGIONS LIKE MEASLES AND EVEN THE COUSINS OF COVID, SARS AND MERS. AS THE GOVERNOR STATED, WE LIVE IN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF GLOBAL TRAVEL AND THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS. THERE IS AN EVER PRESENT THREAT OF EMERGING DISEASES, SADLY AS ALSO NOTED, THE VERY REAL THREAT OF BIOTERRORISM. ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE ARE SIMPLY ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH ESSENTIALS TO PROTECT US FROM HIGHLY INFECTIOUS, DEBILITATING, POTENTIALLY DID THAT -- POTENTIALLY ED LEE INFECTIOUS DISEASES. THAT IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN A DISEASE IS NEW AS COVID WAS AND POORLY UNDERSTOOD OR A DISEASE FOR WHICH HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TREATMENT SIMPLY ARE NOT AVAILABLE. SO WHY, GIVEN ALL WE KNOW ABOUT THE VERY REAL THREATS OF OTHER DISEASES, MEASLES, EBOLA, BIRD FLU AND SEMI-OTHERS, WOULD WE WANT TO PUT OHIOANS AT RISK BY COMPROMISING THE ESSENTIAL AND ANCIENT PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICES OF ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE? IN TERMS OF EBOLA, RIGHT NOW, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND CDC ARE MONITORING OUTBREAKS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO AND GUINEA, BOTH COUNTRIES IN AFRICA, THAT ARE, THANKFULLY, RESTRICTED RIGHT NOW TO REMOTE PORTIONS OF THOSE COUNTRIES. AND ALSO, WORKING IN OUR FAVOR, TRAVEL TO BOTH COUNTRIES IS LOW. PUTTING THAT TOGETHER, THE CDC END WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION BELIEVES THE RISK TO THE U.S. IS VERY LOW. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT ABSENT. THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH BEGAN RECEIVING NOTIFICATION OF TRAVELERS FROM EBOLA-INFECTED PARTS OF AFRICA BACK ON MARCH 6 AND HAS BEEN COORDINATING WITH THE CDC’S DIVISION OF GLOBAL MIGRATION AND QUARANTINE TO ENSURE THERE ARE 21 DAYS MONITORING FOR TRAVELERS COMING TO OHIO FROM THOSE AREAS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE REALLY PROBLEMATIC ABOUT THIS BILL IF IT WERE IN EFFECT, AS I DESCRIBED, FROM THE GUIDANCE I JUST OUTLINE FROM THE CDC, THIS IS A DISEASE WHERE THE TESTING IS BEST PERFORMED ONCE WE KNOW A PATIENT HAS BEGUN TO MANIFEST SYMPTOMS, NOT DAYS AND WEEKS BEFORE. WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TECHNICALLY DIAGNOSE THESE INDIVIDUALS BEFORE WE IMPLEMENT ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE PRACTICES. I THINK IT’S A TIMELY AND ILLUSTRIOUS CASE OF WHY THAT BILL POSES A CONCERN. GOV. DEWINE: THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT THE ADEQUACY TO THIS. THIS BILL IS A TRIAL LAWYER’S DREAM. IT WILL SPAWN A LOT OF LITIGATION AND WE’VE ALREADY GOTTEN IN CONTACT WITH SOME UNIVERSITIES CONCERNED ABOUT LAWSUITS AND SOME OF THESE CASES. IT JUST HAS MANY PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH IT. I STILL BELIEVE THERE IS A COMPROMISE TO BE HAD AND WE MADE A PRESENTATION TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD WORK AND WE STILL HOPE THERE WILL BE A POSSIBILITY WE WILL COME UP WITH SOMETHING ACCEPTABLE TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT ALLOWS THE OVERSIGHT THAT THEY WANT WHICH WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME DOES NOT HAVE ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH THIS BILL. THIS BILL, IF IT BECAME LAW, REALLY DOES JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF OHIOANS. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JIM PROVIDENCE AT THE TOLEDO BLADE. REPORTER: I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO YOUR THOUGHTS ON CROSSING THE $1 MILLION MARK. DID YOU THINK OHIO REACHED THIS POINT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS? AND THIS IS PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR DR. VANDER HOFF -- WHETHER THERE’S A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THESE CASES THAT ARE DUPLICATES COME MORE PEOPLE WERE INFECTED MORE THAN ONCE. GOV. DEWINE: WHEN THIS STARTED, I DIDN’T HAVE ANY IDEA WE WOULD HAVE THIS FIGURE LATER AND WE WOULD HAVE HAD A MILLION OHIOANS INFECTED, SO NO. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT WAS COMING. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THE MEDICAL QUESTION? DR. VANDER HOFF: THAT’S A VERY GOOD QUESTION COME UP BUT AT THIS STAGE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE ISSUE OF REPEAT CASES OF COVID-19 STILL APPEAR TO BE VERY RARE. I DON’T THINK A SIZABLE VERSION OF THESE ARE SECOND INFECTIONS. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM JESS HARDEN. REPORTER: THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY QUESTION TODAY. GOOD TO SEE YOU OUT IN YOUNGSTOWN. AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE PLENTY OF ADULTS REFUSING THE COVID VACCINE AND I’M WONDERING ABOUT THEIR 16 AND 17-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. AS MINORS BECOME ELIGIBLE, WILL GETTING VACCINATION REQUIRE PARENTAL PERMISSION? IS THERE ANYTHING THE STATE CAN DO TO ASSIST YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET THE SHOT BUT WHOSE PARENTS DON’T WANT TO ALLOW THEM TO? GOV. DEWINE: WE ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE LAW AS WE DO WITH ALL VACCINATIONS. THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL CHOICE. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE MINORS AND I WILL HAVE MY STAFF, CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG, BUT ASSUME A PARENTAL SUBMIT -- PARENTAL PERMISSION SLIP WOULD BE REQUIRED. >> NEXT QUESTION IS FROM RANDY LUDLOW AT THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH. REPORTER: GOOD AFTERNOON, GOVERNOR. BACK TO PROVIDERS GIVING SHOTS TO THOSE 16 AND UP WHEN THEY HAVE APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WHAT GUIDANCE HAS THE STATE GIVEN THEM ON WHEN APPOINTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE -- AN HOUR IN ADVANCE, THE DAY OF, 24 HOURS QUESTION MARK WHAT KIND OF GUIDANCE HAVE YOU GIVEN ON WHEN THEY CAN VACCINATE 39 AND UNDER? GOV. DEWINE: WE HAVE TO STATE THE OBVIOUS AND THE OBVIOUS IS IN A WEEK, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO VACCINATE ANYBODY. KNOWING THAT AND KNOWING WE HAVE ALREADY HAD OPEN FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE FOR SOME TIME, THOSE ARE FACTS THAT WAY ON THIS. THE MAIN THING IS A COMMON SENSE APPROACH. WE DID NOT OUTLINE FOR THEM SPECIFICS, BUT THE KEY IS THE RULE HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED. YOU ARE VACCINATING THIS WEEK PEOPLE 40 AND OVER. UNLESS THERE’S SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT REASON, YOU SHOULD NOT DEVIATE FROM THAT. THE REASON IS THEY ARE THEY ARE NOT FILLING THEIR SHOTS UP. MOST OF THESE PLACES HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR A LONG TIME, MANY, MANY YEARS. THEY HAVE AN AMAZING FEEL WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW THEY ARE FEELING AND THEY CAN COMPARE IT TO PAST WEEKS. IF THEY HAVE X NUMBER THAT ARE VACANT FOR TOMORROW OR TWO DAYS FROM NOW, THEY CAN TELL YOU WHETHER THOSE ARE GOING TO FILL OR NOT. WHAT WE DON’T WANT THEM TO DO IS TO LITERALLY BE SITTING THERE, PRECIOUS VACCINE AND NOT BE ABLE TO HIT THOSE SLOTS. IT’S NOT JUST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE MISSING THE POINT. THERE IS A GAPING HOLE AND THEY SEE THE WHOLE AND ARE CONVINCED UNLESS THEY ARE ABLE TO OPEN IT UP. >> NEXT QUESTION IS FROM MIKE LIVINGSTON. REPORTER: BACK ON SB 22, ANY ACTION YOU HAVE RECEIVED ON YOUR LETTER? GOV. DEWINE: THE LETTER WENT OUT EARLY THIS MORNING. AND WE WILL JUST SEE WHAT PEOPLE’S REACTION IS WE PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO THE LETTE WE’VE TALKED TO LEGAL EXPERTS AS WELL AND WE HAVE THOUGHT THROUGH THE LETTER AND TRIED TO DISTILL DOWN WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE THE REAL PROBLEMS WITH THE BILL. WE LATER TRIED TO ELIMINATE THAT. I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO LOOK AT THE LETTER AND MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS. I’M SURE THEY WILL CALL US. IT’S AN ATTEMPT TO FIND WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE. THIS WAS, AS YOU KNOW, ONE HOUSE PAST AND SENT OVER TO THE HOUSE AND THE HOUSE PUT NEW THINGS IN IT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THEY APPROVE THOSE THINGS AND THAT WAS IT. THERE WAS NOT A LONG TIME FOR PUBLIC DEBATE. I STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT IN THE NEXT NEWS CONFERENCE. I WANTED TO PUT DOWN IN WRITING EXACTLY WHAT THIS BILL WOULD DO. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS YOU SHOULD NOT LOOK AT THIS BILL AS ONLY DEALING WITH THIS PANDEMIC. WE ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC I HOPE VERY SOON. WHAT THIS BILL IS ABOUT IS SETTING PUBLIC POLICY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. IT’S ABOUT DETERMINING HOW THE NEXT CRISIS WILL BE HANDLED. BUT IT’S ALSO ABOUT HOW A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT HANDLES AN EVEN MORE ROUTINE SITUATION SUCH AS E. COLI. THIS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGES THE ABILITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE STATE OF OHIO TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS AND IT GOES SO FAR BEYOND ANY DISPUTE WE MIGHT HAVE HAD IN REGARD TO HOW THIS PANDEMIC SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT DON’T AGREE WITH MANY OF THE THINGS WE DID DURING THIS PANDEMIC. THIS BILL GOES SO FAR BEYOND THAT. THEY’VE TAKEN IT OUT FROM THAT DISPUTE AND JUST DECIMATED PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OHIO. THIS IS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OHIO. THIS IS A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN HOW PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED IN PUBLIC HEALTH CRISES. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM TOM JACKSON AT THE SANDUSKY REGISTER. REPORTER: GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RAMP UP THE SPEED OF VACCINATIONS AS YOU GET LARGER SUPPLIES OF DOSES AND I’M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE A FORECAST YOU CAN SHARE OVER HOW THINGS ARE LOOKING FOR VACCINE SHIPMENTS IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE WEEKS AND WHETHER YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE SPEEDING THINGS UP. GOV. DEWINE: IT’S OUR UNDERSTANDING FROM TALKING TO THE BIDEN WHITE HOUSE THAT THE FIRST TWO DRUGS WERE NOT GOING TO SPEED UP, THEY WERE BASICALLY GOING TO BE THE SAME, MODERNITY AND PFIZER WOULD BE THE SAME, BUT JOHNSON & JOHNSON IS GOING TO KICK BACK IN AND GO UP. UNTIL WE SEE EXACTLY WHAT THAT IS, WE DON’T HAVE THE HARD NUMBERS, BUT WE WILL FIND THAT OUT IN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AND BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT JOHNSON & JOHNSON IS GOING TO BE FOR NEXT WEEK. >> NEXT QUESTION IS FROM W BMS IN COLUMBUS. REPORTER: YOU MENTIONED THE COMPROMISE YOU SENT TO THE LEGISLATURE. IS THERE A TIME LIMIT ON WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEM GET BACK TO YOU AND WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO VETO THE BILL? GOV. DEWINE: I WILL VETO THE BILL TOMORROW. AND AS YOU KNOW, KEVIN, IF THE BILL IS NOT VETOED, IT BECOMES LAW. I WILL HAVE TO VETO THE BILL. THE REAL QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS THEN AND IF THERE IS A WAY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT IS SATISFACTORY TO MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP THE PEOPLE OF OHIO. I ENDED THE LETTER I SENT IF YOU READ IT -- I ACCEPT AND RESPECT LEGISLATORS EXERCISE AS PART OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. AS I HAVE COMMUNICATED TO THE SPEAKER AND SENATE PRESIDENT, I STILL BELIEVE WE CAN REACH AN AGREEMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE FOR THAT OVERSIGHT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OHIO. I STILL BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO THAT. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM NATHAN HART IN CINCINNATI. REPORTER: FAXING ELIGIBILITY OPENS UP NEXT WEEK BUT NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT THAT FIRST WEEK OR EVEN WEEKS AFTER. DO YOU HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE ON WHEN THERE WILL BE ENOUGH VACCINATIONS FOR EVERY OHIO THAT WANTS ONE? GOV. DEWINE: I REALLY DON’T. I CAN ONLY TELL YOU WHAT THE PROVIDERS TELL ME. THEY ARE THE ONES OUT THERE SEEING THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND AND GET A FEEL FOR THIS. WHAT THEY HAVE TOLD ME IS IT USUALLY TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS ONCE YOU OPEN AN AGE GROUP, BUT THE OTHER THING WE HAVE SEEN IS THE YOUNGER THE AGE GROUP YOU GO TO, THE UPTAKE IS MUCH SLOWER. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS. I WILL PUT A PREDICTION ON IT BUT FROM WHAT THE PROVIDERS TELL ME, IT WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR IT TO LOOSEN UP SOME. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS ARE VERY TIGHT. YOU ALSO HAVE THE FACTOR THAT EVERY TIME WE MAKE A MOVE AND GO TO A YOUNGER GROUP, IT’S TAKING LONGER FOR THAT GROUP TO REACH CERTAIN LEVELS OF A PERCENTAGE OF THAT GROUP. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM MOLLY MARTINEZ AT SPECTRUM NEWS. REPORTER: I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR VACCINATING THE PRISON POPULATION? GOV. DEWINE: WE HAVE FOLLOWED EVERY OPENING SO IF WE SAID WE HAD PEOPLE WHO ARE DIABETIC AND PEOPLE IN PRISON WERE VACCINATED, WHEN WE STARTED AT 80, WE VACCINATED EVERYONE IN PRISON 80 AND ABOVE AND WHEN WE WENT IN AND DID NURSING HOMES, WE VACCINATED PEOPLE IN THE PRISON WHO ENDED UP IN A NURSING HOME. WE WILL CONTINUE THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS. WE HAVE TRIED TO DO IT IN A MEASURED WAY TO PARALLEL WHAT WAS GOING ON OUT IN COMMUNITIES. WHILE WE WERE NOT GIVING THEM SPECIAL PREFERENCE, WE HAVE FOLLOWED WHEN THEIR GROUP IS ELIGIBLE, THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE VACCINE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I’M PUTTING REGIS ASLEEP AGAIN THERE. MOLLY’S DOG IS THERE -- YOU CAN’T SEE IT BUT I CAN. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM SCOTT AT THE DAILY GAZETTE. REPORTER: IT IS OFFICIALLY SPRING, WHICH MEANS WE WILL BE DEALING WITH SPRING BREAK VERY SOON. WHAT IS THE CONCERN LEVEL ABOUT COLLEGE KIDS MAY BE GOING TO FLORIDA -- YOU’VE SEEN THE THINGS GOING DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW. WHAT IS THE CONCERN OF FOLKS GOING DOWN THERE AND COMING BACK AND STARTING TO SPREAD, EVEN WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, WET IS THE CONCERN POST SPRING BREAK? GOV. DEWINE: I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. THE COMMUNITY HAS A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN. WHAT WE SAW THIS WEEKEND -- CONGRATULATIONS TO OHIO UNIVERSITY, BY THE WAY. BUT WHAT WE SAW WAS NOT GOOD. WHAT WE SAW SATURDAY -- THOSE SCENES THAT WE HAVE SEEN ON TV ARE WORRISOME BECAUSE WE KNOW WHILE WE VACCINATED 1/5 OF OHIOAN’S, THAT MEANS 4/5 OF OHIOANS HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED. AS DR. VANDER HOFF SAYS, WE ARE SEEING AN UPSWING IN MICHIGAN, AND WEST VIRGINIA, WE ARE SEEING A LEVELING OFF OR PLATEAUING NOW WITH OUR NUMBER OF CASES, SO IT IS LITERALLY A RACE. WE ARE VACCINATING AS FAST AS WE CAN AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE IF YOU WANT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL, THE WAY TO GET BACK TO NORMAL AS TAKE THE VACCINATION. EVEN IF YOU ARE 20 AND YOU DON’T THINK YOU ARE AT RISK, GO AHEAD AND GET THE VACCINATION. WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS HELPING ALL OF US KNOCKED THE VIRUS DOWN. ANYTIME WE SEE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE GET TOGETHER IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, IT IS WORRISOME. I THINK PEOPLE CAN GENERALLY DO WHAT THEY WANT IT’S JUST HOW THEY DO IT. THAT MEANS THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO WEAR A MASK. WE ARE NOT OUT OF THAT PHASE YET. I’M CERTAINLY CONCERNED. WE’VE SEEN GATHERINGS OF PEOPLE COME TOGETHER. TRAVEL, IT’S HOW YOU DO IT. HOW CAREFUL ARE YOU IN REGARD TO THAT. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM ADRIAN ROBERTS IN COLUMBUS. REPORTER: PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL BE MAKING HIS VISIT TO COLUMBUS TOMORROW. DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE MEETING WITH HIM WERE WELCOMING HIM TO THE STATE? WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SAY TO HIM? IS THERE ANYTHING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISN’T DOING THAT OHIO NEEDS FROM IT? GOV. DEWINE: I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO MEET WITH THE PRESIDENT WHEN HE FLIES INTO COLUMBUS TOMORROW. TO WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO OUR GREAT STATE , I WILL HAVE A PRIVATE DISCUSSION WITH HIM. THERE’S NOT ANYTHING HUGE. FRANKLY I WILL SPEND TIME TALKING TO ABOUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH REGARD TO THE VIRUS IN OHIO AND I WILL TELL HIM CLEVELAND STATE, THE ONE FEDERAL FEMA VACCINATION SITE IS WORKING EXTREMELY WELL. >> NEXT QUESTION IS FROM TOM BOSCO IN COLUMBUS. REPORTER: LAST WEEK WHEN YOU ARE IN CHILLICOTHE -- THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO A QUESTION I ASKED LAST WEEK. DO YOU STILL FEEL IT IS REASONABLE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TO DRIVE 20, 30, 40 MINUTES TO GET THE VACCINE? AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK, SOME PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO FIND VACCINES OUT OF THEIR COUNTY BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS ALL BOOKED UP. WHEN WILL THAT BREAK UP AND IS IT REASONABLE TO ASK PEOPLE TO TRAVEL LIKE THAT? GOV. DEWINE: WE HAVE 1300 LOCATIONS AROUND THE CITY OF OHIO BUT WE KNOW THE UPTAKE AT EACH OF THOSE IS NOT CONSISTENT. PEOPLE LOOK AROUND AND FIND A LOCATION AND GO TO THAT. I WISH IT WAS CLOSER TO HOME, BUT I DON’T BLAME THEM FOR GOING TO WHERE THEY CAN GET IT BECAUSE GETTING IT QUICK IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE WHO GOT SICK AND THEY GOT SICK RIGHT BEFORE THE VACCINE OR EVEN RIGHT AFTER IT. WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BRING, I DON’T KNOW. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE UNDERSERVED, I WAS TALKING TO MAYOR BROWN THIS MORNING AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS HOW WE REACH OUT TO RURAL COMMUNITIES AND WORK THROUGH CHURCHES AND OTHER PLACES. OUR GOAL IS TO GOING TO TRY, PARTICULATE FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL, WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO BALANCE THIS BUT I CAN’T PREDICT AT WHAT POINT YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO VIRTUALLY ANY PLACE AND GET A VACCINE. I DON’T KNOW WHEN THAT’S GOING TO COME. >> THE NEXT QUESTION IS THE LAST QUESTION FOR TODAY. REPORTER: YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT GETTING BACK TO NORMAL. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE BACK AT THE STATEHOUSE TODAY. CONGRATULATIONS. ARE YOU READY TO GET BACK TO MORE OF A TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE AT THE STATEHOUSE, WORKING AROUND CAPITAL SQUARE? I BELIEVE YOUR LAST BRIEFING WAS DURING THE 5:30 PRIMETIME ADDRESS. ARE YOU HEADED BACK TO NORMAL ON YOUR DAILY SCHEDULE? GOV. DEWINE: YES. TODAY, FRAN AND I WERE IN YOUNGSTOWN. WE’VE BEEN AT 12 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. WE GOT OUR SHOT AND WAITED ABOUT 10 DAYS AND STARTED TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I’VE HELD MEETINGS RIGHT HERE. YOU ARE VERY OBSERVANT. THIS IS THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE. I’LL HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW AND MAYBE SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE SENATE. THE MEETING WE HAD LAST WEEK WAS IN THIS ROOM AS WELL. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT WHEN I GO IN, WHEN FRAN AND I GO IN AND SEE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, WHAT THEY TELL US IS I’M GETTING MY LIFE BACK TO NORMAL. I CAN HUG MY GRANDCHILDREN. I’M ABLE TO DO THIS OR THAT, WHATEVER THEY LIKE TO DO. SO, YES. WE HAVE STARTED TO TRAVEL QUITE A BIT AROUND THE STATE. I MISS DOING THAT. GLAD TO BE OUT AND BE IN YOUNGSTOWN THIS MORNING AND IT HAS BEEN GOOD TO GET OUT. ERIC TELLS ME THAT IS THE END. I W

Coronavirus latest: 1,006,171 cases in Ohio; 423,414 in Kentucky; 682,099 in Indiana

Updated: 2:06 PM EDT Mar 26, 2021

The COVID-19 outbreak is continuing to change everyday life for millions of Americans. Leaders across the county, including the Tri-State area, are providing daily updates on confirmed cases, deaths and measures taking to curb the spread of the virus. Here, you can get the latest information on the coronavirus in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana as well as resources to be prepared and keep your family safe.LATEST CASE NUMBERS: Ohio, 1,006,171, 18,388 deaths | Kentucky 423,414 cases, 5,970 deaths | Indiana, 682,099 cases, 12,596 deathsEducational resources: CLICK HERE to access online learning resourcesCORONAVIRUS IN OHIOThe number of coronavirus cases per capita in Ohio continues to fall, although at a pace that could still take weeks to reach the level needed to end health orders in the state, according to state data.Those orders will be lifted once the state hits the mark of 50 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, Gov Mike DeWine said March 4. Those orders would include the statewide mask order and limits on attendance at sporting events and indoor entertainment events.Ohio saw 143.8 cases per 100,000 people as of Thursday, according to newly released state Health Department figures. The number has dropped from 731 cases on Dec. 3 to 445 cases on Feb. 3, and to 155 cases last week.Nearly 2.5 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Ohio, or about 21% of the population, according to the Health Department. More than 1.4 million or about 12% of the population have completed vaccinations.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Ohio did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 1,801.43 new cases per day on March 2 to 1,456.43 new cases per day on March 16, according to an Associated Press analysis of data provided by The COVID Research Project.CORONAVIRUS IN KENTUCKYKentucky plans to open COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to 40 and older beginning Monday.Gov. Andy Beshear made the announcement during his last COVID-19 briefing of the week. The eligibility update comes as the state gets ready to open up vaccines to all residents next month.Residents 40 and older, beginning Monday, will be able to schedule appointments at vaccination sites across the state as long as they are in any of the current or past vaccination phases. Currently, Kentucky is in Phase 1C, which includes essential workers, residents 16 and older with underlying health conditions and now 40 and older residents.Kentucky has also added a new feature on its vaccination portal that will help residents locate vaccination openings in the state. Click here to view the page.Kentucky had administered more than 1 million shots already.The state has been building a network of more than 500 vaccination sites in preparation for vaccine eligibility opening up to all residents.CORONAVIRUS IN INDIANAThe Indiana Department of Health announced Friday that 1,136 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19. That brings the number of Indiana residents now known to have had the novel coronavirus to 682,099 following corrections to the previous day’s dashboard.To date, 12,596 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, an increase of 20 from the previous day. Another 406 probable deaths have been reported based on clinical diagnoses in patients for whom no positive test is on record. A total of 3,227,019 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 3,224,904 on Thursday. A total of 8,730,919 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the state Department of Health since Feb. 26, 2020.Hoosiers age 40 and older, along with healthcare workers, long-term care residents, first responders who are regularly called to the scene of an emergency to render medical assistance, and educators and school support staff through grade 12 are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.As of Friday, a total of 2,604,473 doses have been administered in Indiana. This includes 1,561,705 first doses and 1,042,768 individuals who are fully vaccinated. The fully vaccinated number represents individuals who have received a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and those who received the single Johnson & Johnson vaccine.Symptoms:According to the CDC, the following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure: Fever, cough and shortness of breath.Emergency warning signs include:Difficulty breathing or shortness of breathPersistent pain or pressure in the chestNew confusion or inability to arouseBluish lips or face*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.This chart from Prospect Pediatrics compares COVID-19 symptoms to the cold and flu:Resources: - Ohio coronavirus hotline: 833-427-5634- Kentucky coronavirus hotline: (800) 722-5725- Indiana general questions can be directed to the ISDH Epidemiology Resource Center at 317-233-7125 (317-233-1325 after hours) or e-mail [email protected] for Disease Control and Prevention websiteWhat to do if you think you have it:Officials have urged people to be conscious not to overwhelm the health care system. This graphic will help you decide when it is time to see a physician. Helpful tips and guides: → Here's what you should do if you already have the coronavirus → Dealing with stress, anxiety during coronavirus outbreak→ These viral social media coronavirus posts are FALSE→ How long should you wash your hands to avoid the coronavirus?→ Guidance for self isolation and home quarantine→ How to clean your car for coronavirus→ A guide to keeping your child safe and reassured as coronavirus spreads→ This map tracks the coronavirus in real time→ How to work from home without losing your sanity

CINCINNATI —

The COVID-19 outbreak is continuing to change everyday life for millions of Americans. Leaders across the county, including the Tri-State area, are providing daily updates on confirmed cases, deaths and measures taking to curb the spread of the virus.

Here, you can get the latest information on the coronavirus in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana as well as resources to be prepared and keep your family safe.

LATEST CASE NUMBERS: Ohio, 1,004,670, 18,382 deaths | Kentucky 423,414 cases, 5,970 deaths | Indiana, 682,099 cases, 12,596 deaths

Educational resources: CLICK HERE to access online learning resources

CORONAVIRUS IN OHIO

The number of coronavirus cases per capita in Ohio continues to fall, although at a pace that could still take weeks to reach the level needed to end health orders in the state, according to state data.

Those orders will be lifted once the state hits the mark of 50 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people for two weeks, Gov Mike DeWine said March 4. Those orders would include the statewide mask order and limits on attendance at sporting events and indoor entertainment events.

Ohio saw 143.8 cases per 100,000 people as of Thursday, according to newly released state Health Department figures. The number has dropped from 731 cases on Dec. 3 to 445 cases on Feb. 3, and to 155 cases last week.

Nearly 2.5 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Ohio, or about 21% of the population, according to the Health Department. More than 1.4 million or about 12% of the population have completed vaccinations.

The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Ohio did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 1,801.43 new cases per day on March 2 to 1,456.43 new cases per day on March 16, according to an Associated Press analysis of data provided by The COVID Research Project.

CORONAVIRUS IN KENTUCKY

Kentucky plans to open COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to 40 and older beginning Monday.

Gov. Andy Beshear made the announcement during his last COVID-19 briefing of the week. The eligibility update comes as the state gets ready to open up vaccines to all residents next month.

Residents 40 and older, beginning Monday, will be able to schedule appointments at vaccination sites across the state as long as they are in any of the current or past vaccination phases. Currently, Kentucky is in Phase 1C, which includes essential workers, residents 16 and older with underlying health conditions and now 40 and older residents.

Kentucky has also added a new feature on its vaccination portal that will help residents locate vaccination openings in the state. Click here to view the page.

Kentucky had administered more than 1 million shots already.

The state has been building a network of more than 500 vaccination sites in preparation for vaccine eligibility opening up to all residents.

CORONAVIRUS IN INDIANA

The Indiana Department of Health announced Friday that 1,136 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

That brings the number of Indiana residents now known to have had the novel coronavirus to 682,099 following corrections to the previous day’s dashboard.

To date, 12,596 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, an increase of 20 from the previous day. Another 406 probable deaths have been reported based on clinical diagnoses in patients for whom no positive test is on record.

A total of 3,227,019 unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 3,224,904 on Thursday. A total of 8,730,919 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the state Department of Health since Feb. 26, 2020.

Hoosiers age 40 and older, along with healthcare workers, long-term care residents, first responders who are regularly called to the scene of an emergency to render medical assistance, and educators and school support staff through grade 12 are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

As of Friday, a total of 2,604,473 doses have been administered in Indiana. This includes 1,561,705 first doses and 1,042,768 individuals who are fully vaccinated. The fully vaccinated number represents individuals who have received a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and those who received the single Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Symptoms:

According to the CDC, the following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure: Fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Emergency warning signs include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

This chart from Prospect Pediatrics compares COVID-19 symptoms to the cold and flu:

Resources:

- Ohio coronavirus hotline: 833-427-5634

- Kentucky coronavirus hotline: (800) 722-5725

- Indiana general questions can be directed to the ISDH Epidemiology Resource Center at 317-233-7125 (317-233-1325 after hours) or e-mail [email protected].

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website

What to do if you think you have it:

Officials have urged people to be conscious not to overwhelm the health care system. This graphic will help you decide when it is time to see a physician.

Helpful tips and guides:

→ Here's what you should do if you already have the coronavirus

→ Dealing with stress, anxiety during coronavirus outbreak

→ These viral social media coronavirus posts are FALSE

→ How long should you wash your hands to avoid the coronavirus?

→ Guidance for self isolation and home quarantine

→ How to clean your car for coronavirus

→ A guide to keeping your child safe and reassured as coronavirus spreads

→ This map tracks the coronavirus in real time

→ How to work from home without losing your sanity