COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio plans to roll out a coronavirus vaccine in four phases and give the first doses to high-risk health care workers and first responders, according to a draft plan released by the state’s health department.
The first phase of the plan also prioritizes patients in long-term care facilities and those at significantly higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 complications due to preexisting conditions, according to the draft plan dated Oct. 16. The state submitted the 61-page plan to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for approval.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to issue emergency use authorization for any COVID-19 vaccine candidate, although public health experts say one could be approved later this fall. But the CDC has cautioned a vaccine could be in short supply after it’s approved, because it takes time to manufacture, ship and distribute enough doses.
Ohio’s plan prioritizes those at higher risk for contracting the coronavirus or developing serious symptoms. It does not offer a timeline for each phase.
The full draft plan can be read at the bottom of this post.
The second phase of the draft plan calls for the vaccine to be given to health care workers and other essential services workers who are at high risk for exposure. It also includes teachers and school staff members; older Ohioans; and residents with preexisting conditions. People of color, who have been disproportionately harmed by the virus, could also be prioritized during phase two.
The second phase also includes people living in group homes or homeless shelters; people in recovery for substance use; people with physical or mental disabilities; and inmates and staff in prisons, jails and detention centers.
The third phase includes young adults; children; and workers in unspecified industries that are critical to the functioning of society. The fourth phase allows all Ohioans to be vaccinated.
The ODH has been holding strategy meetings to develop the vaccination roll-out since mid-August, and the state set up a Vaccine Preparedness Office in September, the draft plan says.
Ohio plans to set up a system where the state government will order a supply of the vaccine, then ship it to individual counties and health care providers for distribution. The shipments will be based on a variety of factors, such as the number of coronavirus cases in a county or the number of county residents targeted for vaccination during a phase. For example, counties that have prisons could get more doses of the vaccine during the third phase that targets inmates and prison staff.
The state plans to work with a network of 2,000 to 5,000 providers to distribute the vaccine. Each will register online as a pandemic vaccine provider, the plan says.
The state also plans to track the number of people vaccinated in each county and through each provider, the plan says.