Governor urges people to get inoculations

DeWine: 98.4 percent of all hospitalizations this year consist of the unvaccinated

Stressing the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Mike DeWine said 98.4 percent of those hospitalized with the virus in Ohio since Jan. 1 were unvaccinated.

"We live in a state with two groups of people: those who are vaccinated who are safe and those who are not vaccinated and are not safe," DeWine said Friday during his first COVID-19 news conference in about six weeks.

DeWine pointed to statistics that show of the 18,662 total hospitalizations for COVID-19 since the start of the year, 18,367 were not fully vaccinated while 295 were fully vaccinated.

Also, 391 people in Ohio were in hospitals with COVID-19 on July 23. That number increased to 899 on Friday.

The death rate among the unvaccinated is even higher than hospitalizations, according to Ohio Department of Health statistics. Since Jan. 1, there have been 6,928 COVID-19 deaths in Ohio with 6,864, or 99.1 percent, being those who weren't fully vaccinated.

The news conference unfolded as new COVID-19 cases are at their highest point since mid-April.

DeWine didn't call Friday for any virus-related requirements, such as face-mask mandates, largely because the state Legislature passed a law to weaken the governor's authority to issue health orders and emergencies -- taking that authority from him. Asked about that law, DeWine declined to answer, although he said at one point if he had children in school, he would have them wear masks.

DeWine and Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, ODH's chief medical officer, said the delta variant among unvaccinated Ohioans is largely the reason for the increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

The delta variant is "absolutely more contagious," is "more dangerous" and is "making patients sicker quicker" than any other COVID-19 strain, Vanderhoff said.

The delta variant made up less than 1 percent of COVID-19 cases in the state in May, DeWine said. It was 86.47 percent of cases between July 1 and 17, the most recent dates, he said. DeWine said health experts are telling him the percentage is even higher now.

The ODH reported Thursday 125.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 state residents from July 22 to Wednesday. It's the highest for the state in four months. Ohio was at 27 cases per 100,000 residents just three weeks ago.

Also, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to list Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana as substantial COVID-19 transmission counties because they have more than 50 cases per 100,000 residents according to its measurements.

The CDC recommends everyone, including those vaccinated, in substantial- or high-transmission counties to wear face masks, although it's not mandated.

Ohio should exceed 50 percent of its total population at least starting the vaccination process in the next few days. The national rate is 58.2 percent, according to the CDC.

Those rates are for all people, including those under the age of 12 who aren't eligible for the vaccine.

The state's vaccination rate is 60 percent for those at least 18 years old and 58 percent for those at least 12 years old, DeWine said.

"Vaccines are making the difference, and that's where we're putting our focus," he said.

The governor urged those unvaccinated to get inoculated and said the state would be "happy to provide financial incentives to counties if they think it will work."

COVID-19 DATA

The 1,666 new COVID-19 cases reported Friday is up from the daily average of 1,007 for the past 21 days, according to the ODH.

The 21-day average Tuesday was 855. About a month ago, Ohio was averaging about 260 cases per day.

The state had a total of 1,138,600 COVID-19 cases as of Friday with 1,094,460 presumed recovered and 20,556 deaths.

The ODH usually provides death information on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Twenty-six additional COVID-19 deaths were reported since Tuesday, including one in Mahoning County.

Mahoning County had 22,956 total COVID-19 cases as of Friday with 21,962 presumed recovered and 615 deaths, according to the ODH.

Trumbull County had 17,011 total COVID-19 cases as of Friday with 16,163 presumed recovered and 493 deaths.

Columbiana County had 9,322 total COVID-19 cases as of Friday with 8,918 presumed recovered and 236 deaths.

VACCINATIONS

There were 5,825,284 people, 49.84 percent of the state's population, who at least had started getting inoculated as of 6 a.m. Friday, including 12,135 in the previous 24 hours, according to the ODH.

In Mahoning County, 48.32 percent of the population (110,497 people) had received at least one dose, while 46.03 percent of the population in Trumbull County (91,123 people) and 38.96 percent in Columbiana County (39,691 people) had as of 6 a.m. Friday, according to the ODH.

There were 5,420,124 people, 46.37 percent of the state's population, who finished the vaccinations as of 6 a.m. Friday, including 6,508 in the prior 24 hours.

In Mahoning County, 44.87 percent of the population (102,611 people) had completed the process, while 42.48 percent of the population in Trumbull (84,099 people) and 36.4 percent of the population in Columbiana (37,081 people) had as of 6 a.m. Friday.