4,874 new COVID-19 cases reported in Ohio Friday
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The Ohio Department of Health reports 4,874 new COVID-19 cases with 166 more hospitalizations and 64 more deaths Friday.
The updated numbers bring the cumulative totals to 888,590 coronavirus cases with 45,952 cumulative hospitalizations and 11,070 total deaths. There are 2,706 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Jan. 29.
The state said 770,597 people are considered recovered as of Jan. 29. Recovered is categorized as cases with a symptom onset date of over 21 days who have not died.
About 758,651 people have received at least the first vaccination shot so far as of Jan. 29. That's 6.49% of Ohio's population.
Next week, the state will begin vaccinating those 70 years and older and will begin vaccinating some K-12 school staff.
Gov. Mike DeWine said the state tried to make the vaccination process simple for K-12 staff. He said the goal is to maximize the capacity of local vaccination partners and said most K-12 staff in a county will be vaccinated within seven days.
Ohio has a limited supply of vaccines and it has pulled vaccines from the statewide allocation specifically for vaccinating school staff.
"There just isn’t enough to do every school in the first week. We must be able to also vaccinate older Ohioans in February," DeWine said.
Fairfield, Union, and Marion Counties are among those that didn’t make the first round, leaving some of the larger districts in the region, including Pickerington, Lancaster, Newark, Marysville Exempted, and Marion City Schools off the list.
“I appreciate the fact that the educators are part of that group,” he said. “I trust that they're going to do the right things in relation to how they disseminate the vaccines,” said Dr. Ron Iarussi, superintendent of Marion City Schools.
This weekend will look slightly different in Ohio as the state has pushed back its curfew by an hour due to falling hospitalizations. DeWine said the curfew will be adjusted — and ultimately removed— if the trend continues.
Several bar and restaurant owners are hopeful the change will give them a much-needed boost in business.
More vaccines may be coming if Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine is approved. The company said it will file for emergency use in the U.S. next week.
J&J said the single-shot vaccine was 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe illness, and much more protective — 85% — against the most serious symptoms.
Despite the possibility of a new vaccine, the Biden Administration said it will be able to fulfill its goal of purchasing 200 million additional doses by the summer with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said the administration hopes to begin vaccinating younger children by late spring or early summer.
