COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)– One month after vaccine eligibility opened to all Ohioans 16 and older, nearly half of all people in the state who are eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are.
There are approximately 9.4 million Ohioans who are 16-years-old or older. Around 4.6 million have either started or completed the vaccination process, according to Ohio Department of Health data.
There are currently three vaccine brands available in Ohio: the two-dose Moderna and Pfizer and one-dose Johnson & Johnson. The Pfizer brand vaccine is the only COVID-19 vaccine approved for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Elderly Ohioans have gotten their shots at the highest rate, with more than 75% of those 65 and older vaccinated.
Timeline of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility in Ohio:
- Dec. 14, 2020: Healthcare workers receive first vaccines
- Jan. 19: 80+
- Jan. 25: 75+
- Feb. 1: 70+, K-12 teachers and staff
- Feb. 8: 65+
- Feb. 15: Those with early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood
- Mar. 4: 60+, pregnant people, certain professions (law enforcement officers, childcare workers)
- Mar. 11: 50+, people with type 2 diabetes and end-stage renal disease
- Mar. 19: 40+, people with certain health conditions (obesity, cancer, heart disease, COPD)
- Mar. 29: 16+
Vaccine appointments in central Ohio are readily available. Columbus Public Health, OhioHealth, Mount Carmel, and others are now offering no-appointment-needed walk-in or drive-up vaccines.
