DeWine Dangles Hope For Return to Normal, Taking First Steps Toward Lifting Pandemic Restrictions

With hints of spring in the air, Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday tantalized Ohioans with prospects of the end of pandemic restrictions and a return to life as we knew it more than a year ago.

But, he said, “There’s a bridge to that life, and we have to take that bridge.”

The governor emphasized two main things upon which that bridge is built: the continuing vaccination of Ohioans and the continued need to wear masks for the foreseeable future.

“Until we get this herd immunity, we have to continue to wear masks. We have to continue to be careful,” DeWine said.

Vaccinations continue to show promising results in Ohio nursing homes. DeWine said last week there were 369 new cases of COVID-19 in nursing homes, a significant decline from the 2,832 new cases reported in one week in December.

“Obviously we’re not satisfied yet,” DeWine said Thursday. “We want to continue to drive these numbers down.”

Vaccine Supply Increasing

An increase in supply will help get Ohioans closer to “normal,” DeWine said. The state next week expects to receive 310,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. With vaccination of school personnel finishing, the doses will be able to make a more significant dent in the population age 65 and over.

Currently, DeWine said data shows nearly 27 percent of Ohioans age 65 to 69 have been vaccinated, compared to 60 percent of those age 80 and up.

The governor encouraged people to help those who are vaccine eligible but may not have internet access or may not have transportation to a vaccination location.

“We need to continue to get shots in arms,” DeWine said.

The prospect of a third vaccine from Johnson & Johnson getting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also cause for optimism, DeWine said. He hopes that vaccine will get the green light from the FDA in the next few days.

“When that light goes on, we believe in the first week this would be an additional 90,000 doses” the state would receive, he said. The potential Johnson & Johnson vaccines, which only require one dose for a person to be considered fully vaccinated, would be in addition to the 310,000 Pfizer and Moderna doses already expected next week.

DeWine indicated the state for now will continue vaccinating older populations because “87 percent of all deaths have occurred in those age 65 and up.”

Ohio will begin to broaden the retailers to which vaccine will be provided to include some Walmart and Meijer locations, as well as additional independent pharmacies, DeWine said.

Lifting Restrictions

DeWine announced he will begin to lift pandemic restrictions for events and activities in the coming days. One of the first things he noted will change as of Thursday is that the state’s two nursing homes for veterans are now again admitting new residents. The homes in Sandusky and Georgetown have not accepted new admissions since March 2020.

DeWine also said as of Monday, the state’s behavioral health hospitals will life restrictions on visitors with a hope that visitation “will play a role in well-being and recovery.”

For events, restrictions on crowds will be increased to 25 percent of maximum capacity indoors and 30 percent of maximum capacity outdoors, DeWine said, indicating indicated a mask mandate will remain in place, social distancing will be required and those from family units must sit in a pod of no more than six people.

DeWine said proms, graduations, weddings and other activities should all be able to occur, providing safety precautions are in place. The state is working on safety protocols for fairs, festivals and parades and the governor expects to issue that guidance in the coming days.

He noted that the coming guidance will reflect current conditions and may be modified if COVID-19 transmission rates improve – or worsen again.

As of Thursday afternoon, the Ohio Department of Health reported 2,409 new COVID-19 cases in the state for the previous 24 hours, along with 80 deaths, 163 new hospitalization sand 21 new intensive care unit admissions.

Daily New Confirmed & Probable COVID-19 Cases In Ohio
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