Help ahead for 65-plus age group squeezed by vaccine eligibility expansion

INSIDE THE UNITED WAY, SOME ARE FINDING THE MOST USEFUL TOOL IN THE VACCINATION PROCESS IS THE TELEPHONE. >> ON A TYPICAL DAY WE HAVE BETWEEN 300 TO 1000 CALLS. BRIAN: THIS IS THE 211 CALL CENTER. IT WAS ONCE FOR ANYONE NEEDING SOCIAL SERVICES. ADDED NOW SPECIFIC HAMILTON COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN CALL 211 FOR VACCINE HELP >> WE’RE REALLY HERE TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE 65 AND OLDER WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO NAVIGATE THE ON LINE SCHEDULING SYSTEMS. BRIAN: DEIRDRE BELUAN IS DIRECTOR OF CARE COORDINATION FOR UNITED WAY. >> THAT IS OUR TARGET AUDIENCE, THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE WHO WOULD NOT GET AN APPOINTMENT OTHERWISE. BRIAN: BUT THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THE 65 PLUS AGE GROUP GETS VACCINATED GOES BEYOND HAMILTON COUNTY. >> THE MORE PEOPLE ELIGIBLE, THE MORE COMPETITION WE ARE HAVING FOR VACCINE. BRIAN: CHRISTA HYSON IS WITH THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE. SHE SAYS MOST HOSPITALS IN THE REGION HAVE SET ASIDE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE OVER 65 THAT ARE YET TO BE VACCINATE YOU MAY LOG ON TO A HOSPITAL SYSTEM AND SEE NOTHI AVAILABLE. WE’RE MAKING SURE THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE IS RESERVED FOR THOSE HIGH RISK POPULATIONS THE 65 PLUS POPULATION THAT THEY CAN GET IN. BRIAN: TO SAY GOODBYE TO COVID. YOU CAN STILL CALL 211 FOR THOSE SOCIAL SERVICES YOU JUST SELECT IF IT’S FOR THAT OR FOR A COVID VACCINE. BRIAN HAMRICK, WLWT NEWS 5. SHEREE: REMEMBER THAT 211 NUMBER IS ONLY FOR THOSE OF YOU IN HAMILTON COUNTY. MIKE: THOSE VACCINES ONE KEY TO GETTING US MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AGAIN. THAT’S ONE POINT OHIO’S GOVERNOR DROVE HOME TODAY, AS HE UNVEILED NEW NUMBERS SHOWING WE’VE HIT A PLATEAU. SHEREE: IN FACT, WE’VE EVEN TAKEN A SMALL STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. WLWT NEWS 5’S JOHN LONDON TALKED WITH THE GOVERNOR TODAY TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. JOHN: APPARENTLY NOT MUCH BEYOND ENCOURAGEMENT ABOUT GETTING VACCINATED AND WEARING MASKS. NEXT WEEK, THE STATE WILL RECEIVE A COMBINED TOTAL OF 571,000 DOSES FROM PFIZER, MODERNA AND JOHNSON AND JOHNSO THAT WILL BE THE STATE’S HIGHEST AMOUNT TO DATE. THE HOPE IS IT WILL HELP DRIVE DOWN THE CASE COUNT NUMBER WHICH IS NO LONGER DROPPING IN SWIFT FASHION. IN FACT, IT WENT UP SLIGHTLY THIS WEEK AND HAS FLATTENED OUT. IT’S NOT CLEAR WHY. BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT THE STATE IS NOT DRAWING CLOSER TO THE 50 CASE PER 100,000 BENCHMARK SET BY GOVERNOR DEWINE >> A STATEWIDE CASE RATE OF 146.9 IS STILL VERY HIGH. IT’S CERTAINLY A LOT LOWER THAN IT WAS IN DECEMBER WHEN WE WERE HITTING OUR PEAK. SO, WE JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS. AND AGAIN, IT’S THE DEFENSE WEARING A MASK AND IT’S THE OFFENSE IN VACCINATE, VACCINATE, VACCINATE. JOHN: 80,000 OHIOANS WERE VACCINATED YESTERDAY. THE GOVERNOR STATES WE’RE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH FIREPOWER, MEANING INCREASED SUPPLY. BUT WITH 52 OF OHIO’S 88 COUNTIES SHOWING A HIGHER CASE COUNT THIS WEEK, GETTING RID OF RESTRICTIONS SUDDENLY SEEMS A LONG WAY OFF JOHN LONDON, WLWT NEWS 5. SHEREE: A NEW GOAL IN THE RACE TO STOP THE CORONAVIRUS. PRESIDENT BIDEN IS DOUBLING HIS VACCINE TARGET FOR HIS FIRST 100 DAYS. MIKE: WLWT NEWS 5 ANCHOR ASHLEY KIRKLEN IS COVERING THE PRESIDENT’S FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE SINCE TAKING OFFICE. ASHLEY: 65 DAYS INTO HIS PRESIDENCY, THE PRESIDENT TOUTED HIS ADMINISTRATION’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND EFFORTS TO STOP THE VIRUS AND HIS ECONOMIC STIMULUS. BIDEN SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION MADE A HUGE INVESTMENT TODAY IN THE HARDEST HIT COMMUNITIES WITH AN ADDITIONAL $10 BILLION GOING TO REACH PEOPLE MOST AT RISK OF COVI AFTER MEETING HIS PREVIOUS GOAL OF 100 MILLION VACCINES IN 100 DAYS LAST WEEK ON BIDEN’S 58TH DAY IN OFFICE, THE ADMINISTRATION’S NEW GOAL IS 200 MILLION SHOTS BY 100 DAYS IN OFFICE. PRES. BIDEN: I KNOW IT’S AMBITIOUS. TWICE OUR ORIGINAL GOAL. BUT NO OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS EVEN COME CLOSE, NOT EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT WE ARE DOING. I BELIEVE WE CAN DO IT ASHLEY: THE RAPID PACE HAS BEEN HELPED BY THE ARRIVAL OF A THIRD VACCINE, THE ONE-SHOT VACCINE FROM JOHNSON & JOHNSON, WHICH DRASTICALLY UPPED THE COUNTRY’S SUPPLY IN MARCH, AND BY STATES MOVING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINATION. ASHLEY KIRKLEN, WLWT NEWS 5. MIKE: A DEVELOPING STORY OUT OF CLERMONT COUNTY. A FORMER JUNIOR HIGH GOLF COACH IS CHARGED WITH RAPE, INVOLVING A CHILD YOUNGER THAN 13. A CLERMONT COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTED NICHOLAS BRYANT ON EIGHT CHARGES. THE ALLEGED CONTACT HAPPEN BETWEEN MAY 2017 AND THIS PAST NOVEMBER. THE MILFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS BRYANT IS NO LONGER EMPLOYED WITH THEM. BUT HE SERVED AS A JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS GOLF COACH IN 2019 AND 2020. THEY SAY THE ALLEGED INCIDENTS DID NOT HAPPEN ON SCHOOL GROUNDS OR DURING HIS COACHING HOURS. AND THAT BRYANT PASSED STATE AND FEDERAL BACKGROUND CHECK SHEREE: THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING TEN PEOPLE, INCLUDING A POLICE OFFICER, IN A COLORADO GROCERY STORE, WENT BEFORE A JUDGE TODAY MIKE: STEVEN ALBRITTON HAS THE DETAILS ON THE CHARGES HE’S FACING. STEVEN? STEVEN: FOUR DAYS AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY USED A MILITARY STYLE RIFLE TO GUN DOWN 10 PEOPLE, AHMAD AL ALIWI ALISSA MADE HIS FIRST APPEARANCE IN COURT. THE 21-YEAR-OLD WAS HANDCUFFED AND BROUGHT IN USING A WHEELCHAIR, POLICE SAY HE WAS SHOT IN THE LEG DURING MONDAYS SHOOTING. THE JUDGE RULED TODAY ALIWI ALISSA WILL CONTINUE TO BE HELD WITHOUT BOND WHILE HE AWAITS HIS NEXT HEARING IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE MONTHS. HIS ATTORNEY’S SAY HE WILL BE GOING FOR A MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION. ALL OF THIS AS MEMORIALS CONTINUE TO GROW FOR THE 10 PEOPLE WHO DIED JUST DAYS AGO AND THE HEALING PROCESS BEGINS. >> WE’RE BEGINNING THAT PROCES THE MILESTONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS WHEN THAT GROCERY STORE OPENS BACK UP TO THE PUBLIC. THE START OF THE RETURN TO A CALMER, CIVIC LIFE HERE. STEVEN: ALISSA IS CHARGED WITH TEN COUNTS OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER, AND WHEN HE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE COURTROOM, THE HANDCUFFS USED TO RESTRAIN HIM COMING INTO COURT WAS THE SAME PAIR THAT OFFICER ERIC TALLY USED WHILE ON THE JOB. HE WAS KILLED RESPONDING TO THE SHOOTING MONDAY. MIKE: A DEER SHIELD TOWNSHIP WOMAN FACING FINAL ARGUMENTS IN A MURDER TRIAL. AND LEAVING THE STATE OF ALABAMA IN A HEAP OF TROUBLE. TORNADOES CONTINUE TO THREATEN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. KEVIN: WE ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE RADAR CLOSE TO HOME AS WELL. THINGS ARE QUIET NOW, BUT IT COULD GET MORE TURBULENT THIS EVENING. I WILL SPELL OUT WHAT THE THREATS ARE THAT WE ARE FACING AND WHEN THEY WILL BE THE GREATEST.

Help ahead for 65-plus age group squeezed by vaccine eligibility expansion

Updated: 7:16 PM EDT Mar 25, 2021

As Ohio prepares to open eligibility to the widest point yet, many in the most vulnerable age groups are yet to secure an appointment, but there is help.“Our local hospitals have reserved up to 20% of the appointments for 65-plus,” said Health Collaborative spokeswoman Christa Hyson.Many in the 65-plus age group also have the most difficulty navigating the online systems. Add to that, Ohio expands vaccine eligibility Monday to anyone over age 16.“The more people eligible, the more competition we are having for vaccine,” Hyson said.Hyson said people in the older age groups are still being given priority.“You may log on to a hospital system and see nothing available. We’re making sure that a certain percentage is reserved for those high-risk populations,” Hyson said.In Hamilton County, people can dial 211 for help.The 211 number was set up to help deliver social services decades ago. In addition to that, people over 65 who have limited internet access can call for help in getting a vaccine.“We’re really here to help those who are 65 and older who are struggling to navigate the on-line scheduling systems,” said United Way care coordinator Deirdre Beluan.The center is getting between 300 and 1,000 calls a day.

As Ohio prepares to open eligibility to the widest point yet, many in the most vulnerable age groups are yet to secure an appointment, but there is help.

“Our local hospitals have reserved up to 20% of the appointments for 65-plus,” said Health Collaborative spokeswoman Christa Hyson.

Many in the 65-plus age group also have the most difficulty navigating the online systems. Add to that, Ohio expands vaccine eligibility Monday to anyone over age 16.

“The more people eligible, the more competition we are having for vaccine,” Hyson said.

Hyson said people in the older age groups are still being given priority.

“You may log on to a hospital system and see nothing available. We’re making sure that a certain percentage is reserved for those high-risk populations,” Hyson said.

In Hamilton County, people can dial 211 for help.

The 211 number was set up to help deliver social services decades ago. In addition to that, people over 65 who have limited internet access can call for help in getting a vaccine.

“We’re really here to help those who are 65 and older who are struggling to navigate the on-line scheduling systems,” said United Way care coordinator Deirdre Beluan.

The center is getting between 300 and 1,000 calls a day.