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DeWine Says Broadening Vaccination Can Help Curb Uptick in COVID-19 Variants

The Statehouse News Bureau | By Andy Chow

Published March 18, 2021 at 11:10 PM EDT

Gov. Mike DeWine speaks in his daily press briefing on April 30. Five days later he announced budget cuts of $775 million.

Ohio is expanding eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine Friday to include people 40-years-old and up and additional qualifying health conditions.

Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) says widespread vaccination is key to stopping the spread of the coronavirus and its new strains.

DeWine says the state is seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases involving the new variants of the virus. But he says they hope to outpace that uptick by ramping up vaccinations.

"We know that this is a race and that the virus is still very much out here," says DeWine.

The governor says he will lift all health orders when the average two-week case number reaches 50 per 100,000 people.

This week that number is at 143.8 cases per 100,000 people.

Everyone 16-years-old and up will be eligible for the vaccine starting March 29.