Lorain County Health Preps For COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

AVON LAKE, OH — Lorain County Public Health is now coordinating COVID-19 vaccine clinics for people who qualify for Phase 1A or Phase 1B and live in Lorain County.

Phase 1A has largely consisted of frontline health care workers, first responders and patients and staffs in nursing homes. Gov. Mike DeWine said many hospitals should begin finishing Phase 1A in coming weeks, allowing the state to move on to Phase 1B.

Lorain County Public Health believes vaccine clinics for residents in Phase 1B could begin in February. Clinics will be announced through local news sources (like Patch), along with the public health website, social media and via email.

To receive notifications on upcoming vaccine clinics, sign-up on the Lorain County Public Health website.

Who's In Phase 1B?

Phase 1B of the vaccine distribution will begin Tuesday, Jan. 19, making vaccinations available to Ohioans 80 or older. DeWine said the state wants to protect the most vulnerable and that includes Ohioans who are most likely to die if they contract the virus.

The vaccine will be available to the 420,000 Ohioans who are 80 or older. Vaccines will be available through physicians, local health departments, hospitals, federally-qualified health centers, in-home health service providers and some retail pharmacies.

With Ohio receiving approximately 100,000 COVID-19 vaccines per week, moving through Ohioans 80 and older will take some time, DeWine said.

On Jan. 25, vaccines should become available to Ohioans 75 and older. Every week after that Ohio will make the vaccine available to a new age group of Ohioans, moving in five year increments until Ohioans 65 and older can receive the vaccine.

Also, during the week of Jan. 25, the vaccine will be made available to Ohioans with severe congenital, developmental, or early-onset medical disorders. The governor promised to soon release further details on how the vaccine will be distributed to those groups.

DeWine said school staffers will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine starting Feb. 1.