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No New Health Orders Despite Spread Of Delta Variant

coronavirus.ohio.gov

Ohio's Governor and state Health Director held their first coronavirus press conference in weeks this afternoon, as COVID-19 cases continue to climb. Alison Holm has the numbers.

State health officials Tuesday reported 3,235 new cases of COVID-19. Since the beginning of August there have been nearly 30,000 cases - 50% more than the number reported in the entire month of July. 34 new deaths were recorded, and the death toll now stands at 20,648.

There were 220 new admissions to hospitalized, the highest daily count in weeks. And there are currently over 15-hundred hospitalized COVID patients in Ohio. State Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says the rise is due to the delta variant of the coronavirus, which he says is "clearly more contagious".

"It takes less of the virus from an infected person's nose and mouth to another person's nose and mouth. Now, estimates are that it's about 50% more contagious than the variant that preceded it, the alpha variant, or the UK variant. And *that* was 50% more contagious than the variant before it."

Vanderhoff says it's also becoming clear that the delta variant is more dangerous than its predecessors.

"We now have data from Canada and from Scotland that show that people infected with the delta variant have a much higher likelihood of needing to be hospitalized. And some data coming from Singapore that suggests that people infected with the delta variant are more likely to end up in the ICU or even dying."

But Vanderhoff says the state's recommendations remain the same.

"Despite the fact that delta indeed is more contagious, it is more dangerous, and it makes people sicker quicker, our vaccines remain very effective against this virus."

5.9 million Ohioans have at least begun the vaccination process and 47 percent of the state is fully inoculated, according to the Health Department's vaccination dashboard, but that rate has nearly stalled, despite health officials insistance they remain the best way to avoid the virus, or at least reduce the severity of infections.

Since January 1, 19,390 Ohioans have been hospitalized with COVID-19. Governor Mike DeWine says over 19,000 of them were unvaccinated.

"If you break that down by percentage, 98.4% had not been vaccinated. 1.6% had been vaccinated. Just a stark, stark difference. There's no more strong testament to the power of the vaccine."

Although some critics say the financial incentives in the state's Vax-a-Million lottery were less successful than anticipated, DeWine says the state is willing to help city and county health departments with funding for their own incentive programs. And he singled out the success of Columbus Public Health.

"July 6th, the Columbus Department of Public Health opened ten neighborhood satellite vaccination clinics in traditionally underserved areas, where individuals would receive a $100 VISA gift card for getting their first shot. Columbus Public Health laid the ground work; getting feedback, identifying locations, canvassing neighborhoods, securing health educators to answer residents questions - it was a holistic approach. Not just the incentive dollars, but a holistic approach."

Columbus went from 257 vaccinations the week before the incentives began, to an average of 1,200 a week for the first month. The Department this week announced it is extending the incentive program through September 10th.

In addition to stressing vaccinations, DeWine made a plea for more Ohioans to mask up, especially children heading back to school. He encouraged school districts to insist on masks for students, staff and visitors, and set up vaccination clinics for students over 12 years old. But he says the state is not considering any new health orders.

A native of Chicago, naturalized citizen of Cincinnati and resident of Columbus, Alison attended Earlham College and the Ohio State University. She has equal passion for Midwest history, hockey and Slavic poetry.
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