Gov. DeWine Hopeful About COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution But Warns Pandemic Isn't Over

Updated: 4:22 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020

Eight Ohio hospitals received their first batch of COVID-19 Tuesday, joining the state’s two hospitals that got vaccine shipments Monday, Gov. Mike DeWine said at a regular press briefing that mostly focused on the distribution plans for both the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine in Ohio.

DeWine said he has been told Ohio will continue to get vaccine shipments through the end of December. By Christmas, Ohio should have received 420,000 doses.

Although DeWine said there is hope with the vaccine, Ohio still has to work to stop community spread while the vaccine continues to be manufactured, delivered and administered.

"We now have more patients just in the ICU than we had total patients hospitalized at our peak this summer," DeWine said.

Holmes County currently has the lowest spread in the state, DeWine said, although the county still has almost four times what the CDC considers “high incidence” of the coronavirus and counties with the highest incidence are geographically spread across Ohio.

Hospitalizations continue to hit record numbers in Ohio, with 5,296 patients hospitalized across the state, 1,311 of them in intensive care units. There are currently 863 patients on ventilators, the governor reported, compared to 360 patients on ventilators a month ago.

"While there is good reason to be optimistic about Ohioans receiving the vaccine, we have our work cut out for us to slow the spread of the virus until enough Ohioans can be vaccinated," said Governor DeWine. "We must continue rallying together to prevent overwhelming our hospitals."

Daily New Confirmed & Probable COVID-19 Cases In Ohio
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DeWine expects local health departments to receive vaccine shipments next week and said the state is sending additional guidance to begin coordinating future vaccine distribution, prioritizing those living in congregate settings.

Only those Ohio nursing homes that have not signed up with pharmacies will get vaccinations from local health departments. DeWine also said local health departments should prioritize health care providers who are not getting the vaccine elsewhere.

The governor called on Congress to pass funding to help states pay for distributing vaccines, however, he said the state will find a way to cover the costs, no matter what.

"We will get people vaccinated in Ohio," DeWine said.

DeWine repeatedly warned Ohioans that the arrival of the vaccine does not mean the pandemic is over. It will take months before precautions such as mask wearing and social distancing can end, he said, pointing out that it will be another three weeks before even the first people to get the vaccine will get their second round of shots and be fully vaccinated.

"It's good news. We're happy about it. We're excited about it, but we have to get ourselves out of it," DeWine said.

Medical professionals from across Ohio joined DeWine to discuss their institution's distribution plans, including Kasi Gardner, a registered nurse at Mercy Health Springfield Regional Medical Center, who got the COVID-19 vaccine during the briefing.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted spoke about his Tuesday visit to the Ohio Health Riverside Methodist Hospital, where vaccines will be distributed to the staff over the next 24 hours.

"The term I heard today was that this is the beginning of the end," Husted said. "This was hope."

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