CINCINNATI – Jill Threm felt she had won the lottery on Thursday.
It was then that she and other Ohio residents 50 years and older were eligible to register for a COVID-19 vaccination. She was lucky and was able to make an appointment quickly, despite the fierce competition for the limited supply.
“I’m still shaking because I was so excited,” she told WCPO.
But spots can fill up quickly, especially on a day when an estimated 1.4 million more Ohio residents are eligible for the vaccine, bringing the total number of people who can register across the country to about 2.2 million. Bring.
In addition to people over 50, Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered a number of other essential workers and high-risk populations to sign up for an appointment as well. The state launched an online tool this week to determine if anyone is eligible.
According to Epidemiologist Stephanie Courtney, with the Department of Health in Cincinnati, Ohio distributes approximately 500,000 doses of vaccines to clinics and pharmacies in private and public health care each week.
She said Thursday it was probably too late to make an appointment this week, but the Ohio Department of Health plans to administer about 10,000 doses in the Cintas Center later next week.
The new level of fitness has added about 2.2 million Ohio residents to the list, Courtney said, and each provider can have its own specific criteria.
“Some will vaccinate people who live all over the state of Ohio; others will vaccinate everyone who works in Ohio, even if you live outside the state,” Courtney said.
The Cincinnati health department restricted its distribution to people living or working in the city, but relaxed the rule Thursday to include anyone living or working in Hamilton County.
The health department of Cincinnati uses the Armor Vaxx app, where eligible provincial workers and residents can register and receive a notification when appointments open in your area.
The app will also notify users when a pop-up vaccination site pops up that day.
Apple users can download the app here. Android users can here.
Courtney added that other counties throughout Ohio are helping as long as the patient lives in the state.
Courtney recommends that you try the following steps to book an appointment:
- Call your doctor or pharmacist directly to see if appointments are available
- Registered by Kroger
- Register via your local or provincial health department
Courtney also gave a tip to people in Hamilton County: every Wednesday, the Cincinnati Department of Health finds out how many doses he will receive from the state. She said this means that those days usually open more appointments.
The Cincinnati Department of Health can be reached by telephone at 513-352-2927.