Many Ohioans are still waiting their turn for a COVID-19 vaccine for their age group and occupation.

WCPO Viewer Kim Taulbee asks: “I'm a grocery store worker and have been working ever since the pandemic started. When will we get vaccinated? Because we have customers coming in sick, getting tested and we don't feel safe. Are we going to have to wait for our age group? I feel we should be next after seniors.”

Dr. Steve Feagins with Hamilton County Public Health and Mercy Health said there simply isn’t guidance yet on when essential workers like Kim can get in line for a vaccine.

“I absolutely feel for Kim. You are totally a frontline worker. We don't have any guidance yet. Those decisions haven't been made in terms of occupation,” he said.

The timeline for when guidance opens up for other essential workers could come as soon as vaccine supply meets demand.

“That would be the expectation. When we are finally able to match supply and demand and open it up, even with new potential vaccines on the horizon, we simply don't know the numbers. We take what we have and apply to risk stratification we have and open it up when we can. But I absolutely understand because that is a frontline job."

That "risk stratification” means vaccinating those most at risk first. For now, that includes nursing home residents, frontline medical workers and older Ohioans.

Find more information on Ohio’s vaccine rollout here.

This month, WCPO 9 is taking your questions about COVID-19 vaccines and posing them to local health care experts. Email newsdesk@wcpo.com or message @KristynHartmanWCPO on Facebook with your name, neighborhood and question, and you could see an expert answer it on air.

Dozens of vaccination sites across the Tri-State now offer COVID-19 shots to eligible people. With many sites located in hospitals, pharmacies, supermarkets, convention centers and arenas, could that system leave out the homebound?

WCPO viewer Patricia Keller asked how her mother, who is 95 and homebound, and other seniors could still receive their shots.

Dr. Steve Feagins, chief clinical officer at Mercy Health and medical director of Hamilton County Public Health, said leaders are working to get vaccines to those stuck inside.

“We know there are about 26,000 (Ohio) residents who have home health,” he said.

Ohio could model other states that have paramedicine, he said, where EMTs give doses and are legally able to go to people's homes. Feagins said some local fire chiefs have supported the idea.

Meanwhile, Ohio’s Council On Aging and United Way 211 offer transportation to seniors who can’t drive themselves to vaccine clinics.

While the main focus right now is to take people to the vaccine, he also said leaders are working on a plan with home health agencies to bring vaccines to those homebound.

“But we are definitely working to get a process to get vaccine to people's homes,” Feagins said.

This month, WCPO 9 is taking your questions about COVID-19 vaccines and posing them to local health care experts. Email newsdesk@wcpo.com or message @KristynHartmanWCPO on Facebook with your name, neighborhood and question, and you could see an expert answer it on air.

CINCINNATI — The Christ Hospital Health Network is the latest hospital system to announce staffing changes and pay cuts due to COVID-19.

Christ announced on Friday that it will cut pay by 25% for executive leadership and redeploy other employees into new roles.

“Doctors, advanced practice providers, nurses and all other caregivers who are directly on the front lines, providing patient care in the fight against COVID-19, will be fully supported and financially protected at 100% of pay," Christ spokesman Bo McMillan wrote in a statement. "All employees not on the front line will be re-deployed as much as possible or will be guaranteed financial stability at 75% of regular wages for the next month."

In addition to hospitals in Mt. Auburn and Liberty Township, Christ operates more than 100 medical centers and physician practices throughout the Cincinnati area.

“As we are preparing for the surge in COVID-19 cases, we, like all other hospitals, have simultaneously been forced to manage a decline in patient volumes, as most non-urgent, non-emergent services have been halted,” McMillan wrote. “We will continuously re-evaluate this pandemic staffing model as the situation evolves over the next few, critical weeks.”

Hospital systems across the region are struggling financially due to the elimination of elective surgeries and routine doctor visits put in place by government leaders to halt the spread of COVID-19.

This week Bon Secours Mercy Health announced furloughs for 700 employees — or 1% of its 60,000 staffing base — which became effective on Friday. The furloughs are expected to last 30 to 90 days.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented demand for health care services, while simultaneously causing an unprecedented decline in other services and work within Mercy Health," Mercy spokeswoman Nanette Bentley wrote in a statement. "In response, we are acting quickly to redeploy or temporarily furlough associates who are unable to work due to temporary closure, cancellation and low census in primary care, outpatient and surgical services."

Mercy Health, the largest health system in Ohio, announced pay changes for some of its doctors last week.

“If your productivity declined significantly, we will reduce your base draw commensurate to 70% of your historical average productivity. At this time, we do not anticipate needing to reduce your base draw below 70%," according to an email obtained by WCPO.

TriHealth President and CEO Mark Clement notified employees of a 20% pay cut for senior leaders during the same week.

There are also changes at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, which temporarily closed locations in Eastgate, Mason and Northern Kentucky as a result of COVID-19.

"In addition, all elective surgeries and some appointments have been canceled to help build capacity for a potential COVID-19 surge," according to Cincinnati Children's senior director of external relations Libby Coulton. "As a result, many of our employees are being re-assigned to other locations. And some may be temporarily released from their duties."