COLUMBUS, Ohio — Governor Mike DeWine urged Ohioans to get the COVID-19 vaccine during a press conference on Friday.
DeWine was joined by Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Bruce Vanderhoff for the briefing.
"The essential fact is that we have three vaccines that are highly, highly effective," said DeWine.
Currently 60% of people 18 years and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine in the state. That number sits at 58% for eligible Ohioans 12 and older.
According to DeWine, 18,662 people have been hospitalized with the virus since January. DeWine went on to say 18,367 of those people were unvaccinated. In other words, more than 98% of people hospitalized for the virus since January were not fully vaccinated.
"We have two Ohios: We have people who are vaccinated who are very, very safe today. We have people who are not vaccinated who are not safe," said DeWine.
The announcement comes as cases continue to rise in the state. Virus cases topped 2,000 daily reported cases this week, with more than 2,100 people testing positive on Wednesday.
Health officials have said the delta variant is likely to blame for the recent case spikes.
According to most recent data, the delta variant was detected in more than 86% of cases in the state.
Dr. Vanderhoff said there are three key things to know about the delta variant:
- It is highly contagious
- It is more dangerous than prior versions of the virus
- Mounting evidence shows it makes people more sick at a faster rate
Vanderhoff said the vaccine has proven highly effective in protecting people from the delta variant.
"The name of the game today is vaccines," said DeWine. "This is where we win, this is where we don't win."
On Thursday, Columbus and Franklin County health officials issued a mask advisory in an effort to curb the spread, suggesting all people wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
DeWine touted vaccine incentives throughout the state and said he will support local health commissioners in terms of future incentives.