RCHD Starting Phase 1B of COVID-19 Vaccination

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(Chillicothe, OH) — The Ross County Health District (RCHD) is currently offering COVID-19 vaccinations to individuals who are eligible in Phase 1A of the state’s COVID- 19 Vaccination Program. This includes those working on the frontlines during the pandemic response, such as EMS personnel and healthcare workers who care for COVID patients. Phase 1B of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program will begin in Ross County on January 19, 2021.

The first tier of Phase 1B includes those 80+ years old of the general population (those not living in assisted living facilities or nursing homes). We have started a registration list and will begin scheduling individuals from that list soon. If you need to register, you can do so on our website.

There are 420,000 individuals in this age range in Ohio. Governor DeWine reported that Ohio is expected to receive 100,000 doses of vaccine per week. This means not everyone age 80+ will be able to get the vaccine in the first week. Our goal is to vaccinate all of those eligible for the vaccine who choose to receive it as quickly as possible. We are working with other providers in the area to distribute the vaccine efficiently, but the number of vaccines distributed to Ross County residents depends on the number of doses the State receives.

According to Governor DeWine, Ohioans 75 years of age and older and those with severe congenital or developmental disorders will be able to receive vaccine starting the week of January 25, 2021. Ohioans 70 years of age and older and all employees of K-12 schools that wish to remain or return to in-person or hybrid models will be able to receive vaccine starting the week of February 1, 2021. Ohioans 65 years of age and older will be able to receive vaccine starting the week of February 8, 2021.

Employees of K-12 schools will receive information on the vaccine and registration from their school administrators. We will open registration for those with severe congenital or developmental disorders closer to the week of January 25.

The list of Ohioans with severe congenital, developmental, or early onset medical disorders includes cerebral palsy; spina bifida; congenital heart disease; type 1 diabetes; inherited metabolic disorders; severe neurological disorders including epilepsy; severe genetic disorders, including Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Turner syndrome; severe lung disease, including cystic fibrosis and severe asthma; sickle cell anemia; and alpha and beta thalassemia.

Please be patient as this process will take time. The number of vaccinations RCHD can administer depends heavily on the amount of vaccine received by the State. When a new age range opens, that does not mean every person in previous ranges have been vaccinated as this is a two-dose vaccine. It simply means that vaccine availability to the State is increasing. Please email us at information@ rosscountyhealth.org if you have any questions or read about Ohio’s Phased Approach to COVID- 19 Vaccination here.