Month: January 2021

State officials are urging residents and workers at long-term care facilities to be patient as the second round of vaccines continues to be distributed.While long-term care residents and workers were some of the first people to get the COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials said Wednesday that doesn't mean life at those facilities will immediately change.As many long-term care facilities are well into their second round of COVID-19 vaccines, many are wondering when life can start to return to normal. State health officials said that while many indicators are looking up, those residents need to stay patient."It's going to be great when we get there," said deputy state epidemiologist Dr. Elizabeth Talbot. "We don't have any of that clear guidance yet. I really do envision some pretty...

Following a shaky rollout of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, advisors to Gov. Gavin Newsom have struck a far-reaching agreement with Blue Shield of California for the health insurance company to oversee the distribution of vaccine doses to counties, pharmacies and private healthcare providers. The decision marks a sharp turn away from a more decentralized process that has been criticized for inconsistency across regions of the state and sluggishness in its effort to vaccinate Californians. It will also mean the outsourcing of tasks that, until now, have been overseen by state and local government officials. “We understand that vaccine supply is limited,” state Government Operations Secretary Yolanda Richardson said on Tuesday. “But we also need to address that the supply we have...

COVID-19 vaccine provider locations search If you’re eligible to get a vaccine, no central system exists at this point for registering. The state has a map where you can search to find which of the more than 700 vaccine providers in Ohio are located near you: vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov. Note: Look at the provider’s website in advance before seeking a vaccine. Availability changes day-to-day and almost all require appointments in advance. Local vaccine clinics For a while you should expect that appointments at local vaccine sites will book up fast because of limited supply. Depending on the location, some are letting eligible people register for future appointments or for alerts, while others aren’t taking new appointments until their next shipment arrives and don’t have a wait list. M...

Federal health agencies are preparing for the possibility that the current COVID-19 vaccines might not be effective against future strains of the coronavirus, Anthony FauciAnthony FauciOvernight Health Care: Biden takes steps to boost number of vaccine doses sent to states | CDC researchers find 'little evidence' of major school outbreaks, with precautions | Eli Lilly says antibody combo significantly cuts COVID-19 death risk Biden takes steps to boost number of vaccine doses sent to states World surpasses 100M coronavirus cases MORE said Wednesday, but he has confidence that drug companies will be able to quickly change the formula. Speaking at an event hosted by The Hill, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the federally authorized ...