Staff photo / Ed Runyan Matthew Tubbs, maintenance manager at the Eugenia Atkinson Recreation Center on Otis Street, learns more about being vaccinated against COVID-19 from Erin Bishop, Youngstown health commissioner, center, and Noelle Kosela, a health department contact tracer.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

Staff writer

The number of Ohioans getting the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine significantly increased in the past few days, but only 22.5 percent of the overall vaccines provided to the state have been used, health officials reported.

As of Thursday, 119,401 people had the first dose, according to the Ohio Department of Health. That’s 1.02 percent of the state’s population.

Vaccinations started two weeks ago.

But, they pointed to an encouraging sign: Vaccinations have picked up significantly in the past few days.

Between Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, 25,338 vaccinations were given, the most for a 24-hour period, with 22,471 between Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, ODH reported. The 47,809 total in those 48 hours is 40 percent of all vaccinations given in the state.

The only people who are eligible now to get the vaccines are health care workers and personnel routinely involved in in the care of COVID-19 patients, those who live and / or work in congregate settings such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and emergency medical responders.

Gov. Mike DeWine said he isn’t satisfied with the number of vaccines given and specifically mentioned that about 60 percent of nursing home workers offered the vaccine are declining it.

The state has about 529,000 doses of the vaccine — each person needs two doses.

As of Thursday, 2,484 people in Mahoning, 1,454 in Trumbull and 870 in Columbiana counties had received the first dose of the vaccine, according to ODH.

The state next week will receive 139,700 first-dose vaccines and 98,475 second- dose vaccines.

YOUNGSTOWN VACCINES

The Youngstown City Health District vaccinated 121 developmentally disabled residents of Gateways to Better Living facilities Thursday at the Eugenia Atkinson Recreation Center on Otis Street.

It was the second COVID-19 vaccination clinic held by the city health district.

On Wednesday, the health department vaccinated 50 emergency medical service-trained firefighters and AMR ambulance employees at the main fire station of the Youngstown Fire Department.

Karl Ware, program director for Gateways to Better Living, said the Gateways clients who received vaccines Thursday have developmental disabilities that range from profound to severe.

“They have a great deal of illness and they are among the population that is the most susceptible to catch the virus,” he said. “They are one of the most vulnerable populations besides the elderly and those in nursing homes.”

Many clients do not walk well and need someone to assist them. “They need assistance with all sorts of daily living things we do freely for ourselves,” he said.

“They are dependent on people who go out into the community daily and then come into their home to serve them,” he said. Getting the vaccine “makes (clients) a little safer because they are so dependent on others.”

Youngstown Health Commissioner Erin Bishop said it was inspiring to see how well the Gateways employees soothed their clients, some of whom were nervous about being vaccinated.

“Their caregivers were so kind to them,” she said.

COVID-19 DATA

Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana are among the state’s 84 counties to remain at Level 3 (red) Thursday on the Ohio Public Advisory System. Only four counties are at Level 2 (orange).

To be at Level 3, a county has to have four to five of the seven risk indicators as set by ODH, or if a county was at Level 3, it cannot drop to Level 2 until it no longer has more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents.

Mahoning meets two indicators and Trumbull has three. But the case levels at both counties far exceed 100 per 100,000 residents.

Mahoning showed 807.57 cases and Trumbull 604.62 cases per 100,000 residents between Dec. 16 and Tuesday.

Columbiana County hit four indicators and has 691.97 cases per 100,000 residents, according to the state health department.

The ODH reported 700,380 total COVID-19 cases Thursday in the state, with 556,106 presumed recovered and 8,962 deaths.

It is an increase of 9,632 cases, the most for a single day in Ohio since Dec. 18 and higher than the 8.025 daily average for the past 21 days.

Thursday, 107 deaths were reported, the third day in a row with more than 100 COVID-19 fatalities in the state and more than the 79 daily average for the past 21 days.

There were 279,317 reported COVID-19 cases in Ohio in December. That’s a new record for a month with November previously having the most at 205,366. Also, there were more cases in just December than the 215,697 total cases between March, when the pandemic started, and October.

ODH reported 14,800 total cases Thursday in Mahoning County, with 11,840 presumed recovered and 315 deaths.

The state listed 10,843 total cases Thursday in Trumbull County, with 8,887 presumed recovered and 264 fatalities.

Mahoning and Trumbull counties had two reported fatalities each Thursday.

Columbiana County had 6,147 total COVID-19 cases Thursday with 4,918 presumed recovered and 119 deaths.

ODH won’t report new COVID-19 data today because of New Year’s Day. The state will report Saturday the combined numbers for that day and today.

Ed Runyan contributed to this report

dskolnick@tribtoday.com