City Of Westlake: Ohio Department Of Health To Expand Vaccine Eligibility With Phase 1C And Phase 2

Press release from the City of Westlake:

March 2, 2021

Ohioans ages 60 and older and those who meet certain occupational and medical criteria will be eligible to be vaccinated against Covid-19 starting March 4, 2021. Details on expanded vaccine eligibility are available in guidance materials published by the Ohio Department of Health regarding Phase 1C and Phase 2 of the State of Ohio’s Covid-19 Vaccination Program.

Phase 1C includes approximately 246,000 eligible Ohioans with certain occupations and with certain medical conditions not addressed in previous phases. The state estimates Phase 2 will expand vaccination eligibility to approximately 695,000 Ohioans not addressed in previous phases. 

(Note: All information listed has been provided by the Ohio Department of Health)

Expanded Vaccine Eligibility

Phase 1C criteria: 

• Individuals who have additional medical conditions that may increase their risk of severe illness and death from Covid-19. The new qualifying conditions are not already covered through Ohio’s age-based approach to vaccine eligibility.
• Ohioans who work in certain occupations, including child care services, funeral services, and law enforcement and correction services.
• Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice. Individuals may be asked to confirm during the registration or screening process that they are eligible to receive the vaccine based on a qualifying medical condition or based on their occupation.

Phase 2 criteria: 

• Because the risk of more severe reactions and outcomes of Covid-19 increases with age, Phase 2 will open vaccinations based on age. Specifically, individuals ages 60 and older will be able to receive a Covid-19 vaccine as of March 4. 
• Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice.

Find more details about the vaccine eligibility criteria and information on how to find a vaccine provider by following the document links below:

• ODH Phase 1C Fact Sheet
• ODH Phase 2 Fact Sheet

How to find vaccine providers, schedule appointments

There are two ways that Ohioans can find providers participating in Ohio’s Vaccine Program.

Launching Soon: NEW Vaccine Management Solution (VMS) – This one-stop solution for patients beginning the vaccination process will allow Ohioans to determine eligibility, schedule appointments, submit health information, and receive updates and reminders.

The Covid-19 Vaccine Provider Locations directory at vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov is a resource that shows providers who have received shipments of Covid-19 vaccines. The COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Locations directory is searchable by county and ZIP code.

In addition, vaccine supply is also available through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for Covid-19 Vaccination. Eligible Ohioans who want to find a participating pharmacy should visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s VaccineFinder. This is a free, online service.

For additional information, visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov.  

For answers to your Covid-19 questions, call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. If you or a loved one are experiencing anxiety related to the coronavirus pandemic, help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call the Covid-19 CareLine at 1-800-720-9616.

This press release was produced by the City of Westlake. The views expressed here are the author’s own.