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State COVID-19 case rates drop, but deaths increase dramatically

The state saw a 40 percent reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents during the past four weeks but is at more than four times what is considered to be a high-transmission area. At the same time, the Ohio Department of Health reported 339 additional deaths Friday during the past three days, including 18 in Mahoning County and five each in Trumbull and Columbiana counties. The 628 total deaths this week is the most ever for a week in Ohio since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Before this, the most reported was 600 during the week of Dec. 27 to Jan. ...

2 new deaths reported at Trumbull facilities

The Ohio Department of Health reported two additional deaths at long-term-care facilities such as nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Trumbull County this week. The ODH does not list which facilities had deaths, but it indicated there have been 164 deaths involving such facilities in Trumbull County, which is two more than last week. The number of deaths associated with long-term-care facilities in Mahoning and Columbiana counties did not change this week. Meanwhile, one Mahoning County facility saw an increase of seven COVID-19 infections this week. The Crandall ...

Fri. 8:45 a.m.: Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine more than 90 percent effective in kids

(AP) - Kid-size doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine appear safe and nearly 91 percent effective at preventing symptomatic infections in 5- to 11-year-olds, according to study details released today as the U.S. considers opening vaccinations to that age group. The shots could begin early next month — with the first children in line fully protected by Christmas — if regulators give the go-ahead. Details of Pfizer's study posted online today. Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will publicly debate the evidence next week. The FDA is expected to post its independent review ...

Vote eradicates controversial bonus

YOUNGSTOWN — City council rejected legislation to provide $1,000 bonuses to city employees to get a COVID-19 vaccination — and this time it’s going to stick. Council voted 4-3 Wednesday against the proposal. It had voted 3-3 Oct. 6 with Councilwoman Basia Adamczak, D-7th, an opponent of the proposal, absent at that meeting. Council President DeMaine Kitchen said after that vote that because the bill didn’t get a majority on its third reading, it didn’t pass and was rejected. No council members said anything afterward. But council Clerk Valencia Marrow informed council ...

Vax-2-School still on hold

The state remains in a holding pattern as to when it’s going to start its Vax-2-School scholarship drawings, which is designed to have more Ohioans between the ages of 12 and 25 get the COVID-19 vaccines. “A deadline to enter and drawing dates have not been announced,” the Ohio ...

Ukraine hits all-time death record amid vaccine hesitancy

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Coronavirus infections and deaths in Ukraine surged to all-time highs today amid a laggard pace of vaccination, with overall inoculations among the lowest in Europe. Ukrainian authorities reported 22,415 new confirmed infections and 546 deaths in the past 24 hours, the highest numbers since the start of the pandemic. Authorities have blamed a spike in infections on a slow pace of vaccination in the nation of 41 million. Ukrainians can choose between Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Sinovac vaccines, but only about 15 percent of the population is fully ...