Ohio Coronavirus Vaccine Hub: Where, Who And How To Get Immunized

OHIO — Vaccine rollout in Ohio, and across the U.S., has faced its fair share of hurdles and has left some residents feeling frustrated.

Still, plans are afoot to expand vaccine eligibility to more Ohioans. Moderna and Pfizer have both vowed to increase their monthly vaccine shipments to the Buckeye State, and the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine will further expedite the vaccination process.

DeWine has repeatedly urged Ohioans to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is offered to them. He and his wife, Fran DeWine, both publicly completed their vaccination process on Tuesday.

State and county health departments and some retail pharmacies are administering the vaccine to eligible Ohioans.

The state has also pledged to ensure equity in vaccine distribution with Gov. Mike DeWine and others planning virtual town halls to ensure Black and other minority communities of the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The first step in getting your vaccination appointment scheduled is to see if you're eligible to get it now.

Who Can Get Vaccinated

As of Feb. 25, the coronavirus vaccine is available to the following Ohio residents:

• Residents 65 and older.
• Staff in long-term care facilities.
• Teachers in public schools reopening by March 1.
• Residents with the following medical conditions:
  • Sickle cell anemia.
  • Down syndrome.
  • Cystic fibrosis.
  • Muscular dystrophy.
  • Cerebral palsy.
  • Spina bifida.
  • People born with severe heart defects, requiring regular specialized medical care.
  • People with severe type 1 diabetes, who have been hospitalized for this in the past year.
  • Phenylketonuria (PKU), Tay-Sachs, and other rare, inherited metabolic disorders.
  • Epilepsy with continuing seizures; hydrocephaly; microcephaly, and other severe neurological disorders.
  • Turner syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and other severe genetic disorders.
  • People with severe asthma, who have been hospitalized for this in the past year.
  • Alpha and beta thalassemia
  • Solid organ transplant candidates and recipients.

Vaccine eligibility is likely to be expanded by age, DeWine has said previously. However, officials will freeze eligibility for a few weeks while Ohioans in Phase 1B are vaccinated.

Vaccine providers can be found via the state's coronavirus website. Retail pharmacies like CVS, Giant Eagle Pharmacy and Kroger Pharmacy are also administering the COVID-19 vaccine, so check their respective websites for openings.