Despite the vaccine, thre next few months could be “hell” if COVID-19 continues to spread, hospitalize and kill at the same rates, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday during a coronavirus briefing.

“This vaccine is not going to cover enough people quick enough to get us out of this. I mean, eventually, it will. We’re at a very, very high rate today, and the rest of December — January, February — are probably going to be hell unless we turn this thing around.” DeWine said.

DeWine said he was pleased by the arrival of the vaccine but concerned about the high rate of virus spread in the state. Several state health orders, including a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and a mask order for retail businesses, remain in effect.

Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, chief medical officer of the Ohio Department of Health, said it is important to play defense against the virus.

“Wear a mask, keep your distance if we want to win this game.” Vanderhoff said.

Two Ohio hospitals received shipments of vaccine Monday and seven more on Tuesday. Among the hospitals that have received vaccine shipments are Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center and Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus. When the first shipments arrived Monday, DeWine said it was a “a great day. It’s a very, very happy day.”

“We are optimistic because of the vaccine. This is just the start of a process. Our job is to do everything we can to keep the process moving,” DeWine said.

DeWine said by Christmas that 420,000 vaccine doses from manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna will have arrived in the state, with an additional 237,000 scheduled to arrive New Year’s week.

The governor said doses expected by Christmas will be a combination of an additional 123,000 doses from Pfizer, which is currently the only FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, along with 201,900 doses from Moderna. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to hear a recommendation Thursday from a panel of experts reviewing the study. Following that, the agency could grant the vaccine emergency authorization for use.

The first doses are earmarked for health care workers who come into direct contact with coronavirus patients, along with those living in congregate settings like nursing homes.

From there, the vaccine will continue to roll out in phases, moving onto vulnerable populations and eventually the general population. Experts have said most people should be able to get a vaccine by summer, if not sooner.

DeWine continued to stress that while the vaccine rollout is good news, the current numbers in the state are still grim.

After a brief dip, where cases, hospitalizations and deaths all dipped below their 21-day averages for two days in a row, Tuesday’s numbers represented a move back in the wrong direction.

Statewide COVID-19 cases increased Tuesday by 8,755, bringing total cases to 579,357.

Totals released by the Ohio Department of Health included an increase of 103 new deaths bringing total deaths to 7,654 and hospitalizations increasing by 614 bringing the total 32,878.

There were 5,296 people in hospitals, including 1,311 in intensive care units.

Mahoning County reported one new death, bringing the total deaths to 311. There were 231 new cases reported Tuesday.

Trumbull County reported two new deaths, bringing the county’s total deaths to 183. There were 151 new cases, bringing the total cases to 8,953. Columbiana County reported three new deaths, bringing the county’s total deaths to 113. With 50 new cases, total cases are at 5,168 in the county.

State health officials report the 8,755 cases reported Tuesday are below the 21-day average of 9,879, but the 103 new deaths reported Tuesday are above the 21-day average of 73. And, the 614 new hospitalizations reported Tuesday are well above the average of 372.

COVID-19 by the numbers

The number of cases, changes in cases and deaths in counties in the region and statewide as of Tuesday:

County Cases Change since Change since Deaths

yesterday last week

Trumbull 8,953 +151 +1,106 183

Mahoning 12,083 +231 +1,447 311

Columbiana 5,168 +50 +468 113

Ohio 579,357 +8,755 +69,339 7,654

SOURCE: Ohio Department of Health