200,000 Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine Set To Expire In Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH — Approximately 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine will expire this month, if they're not used soon, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday.

According to the state, nearly 200,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Ohio will expire June 23. DeWine made an urgent public plea for vaccine providers to distribute as many doses as possible to eligible Ohioans, as quickly as possible.

"The time to act is now," DeWine said.

Ohio cannot send the vaccines to other states or other nations at this time, according to DeWine's office.

“For Ohioans who have been waiting to get their vaccine, I urge you to take action now. There are many opportunities throughout the state to get a vaccine,” DeWine said. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is one of those options. It is safe and effective and only requires one shot."

The Ohio Department of Health is prioritizing use of soon-to-be-expired vaccines throughout the state. Health officials are also utilizing new tactics to get the vaccines into as many arms as possible, as quickly as possible. Some tactics include: special vaccination clinics, offering more mobile vaccination opportunities, offering the vaccine to congregate setting staff and residents and in correctional facilities.

Ohio also rolled out the Vax-a-Million lottery program in May, rewarding randomly selected Ohioans with $1 million prizes.

Despite this flurry of activity, vaccination rates continue to flag in Ohio. In the past 24 hours, only 6,156 Ohioans started the COVID-19 vaccination process. Approximately 5.4 million Ohioans (46 percent of the state) have received a COVID-19 vaccine.

DeWine continues to urge Ohioans to seek out the COVID-19 vaccine.

"In just two weeks, you could be protected from this virus. Getting vaccinated is the quickest way out of the pandemic and the fastest way for us to return to the lives we remember," he said.