Fully Vaccinated Ohioans No Longer Have To Quarantine

CLEVELAND — Ohioans who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer have to quarantine if they are exposed to someone who has the virus.

"The power of the vaccine allows us to do this," Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday afternoon during a news conference at the state's mass vaccination site at the Wolstein Center.

The quarantine rule change takes effect immediately.

The change allows teenagers who have been vaccinated to continue playing sports or participating in school activities even if they've encountered someone with COVID-19, DeWine said. He believes the new health order will encourage even more teenagers to get the vaccine.

The quarantine rule change will also be implemented for all adults. However, senior living facilities and congregate living communities should continue to quarantine patients if they're exposed to the virus.

As of Tuesday, 4.6 million Ohioans (nearly 40 percent of the state's population) have received at least the first part of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 3.6 million Ohioans have completed the vaccination process.

DeWine has spoken previously about needing to further incentivize Ohioans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Shifting the quarantine rules may be the first of several impending changes encouraging more Ohioans to get either the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

"If you've been waiting to get the vaccine, now is the time," DeWine said.