Defiance County Coronavirus Information

Phase 1A includes those below who choose to be vaccinated: 

• Healthcare workers and personnel who are routinely involved in the care of COVID-19 patients.
• Residents and staff in nursing homes.
• Residents and staff in assisted living facilities.
• Patients and staff at state psychiatric hospitals.
• People with developmental disabilities and those with mental health disorders, including substance use disorders, who live in group homes, residential facilities, or centers, and staff at those locations.
• Residents and staff at our two state-run homes for Ohio veterans.
• EMS responders.

Phase 1B includes those below who choose to be vaccinated: 

• Ohioans, age 65 and up.
• Ohioans with severe congenital, developmental, or early onset medical disorders that make them particularly vulnerable. This includes cerebral palsy; spina bifida; congenital heart disease; type 1 diabetes; inherited metabolic disorders; severe neurological disorders. including epilepsy; severe genetic disorders, including Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Turner syndrome; severe lung disease, including cystic fibrosis and severe asthma; sickle cell anemia; and alpha and beta thalassemia.
• Adults/employees in K-12 schools that want to go back, or to remain, educating in person.

Vaccinations in Phase 1B began the week of January 19. Governor DeWine announced a tiered system for offering vaccinations to the estimated 2.2 million people who are eligible for the vaccine under this phase. When a new age group begins, vaccinations may not be complete for the previous age group. It will take a number of weeks to distribute all of the vaccine given the limited doses available. 

• The week of Jan. 19: Ohioans 80 years of age and older.
• The week of Jan. 25: Ohioans 75 years of age and older; those with severe congenital or developmental disorders.
• The week of Feb. 1: Ohioans 70 years of age and older; employees of K-12 schools that wish to remain or return to in-person or hybrid models.
• The week of Feb. 8: Ohioans 65 years of age and older.
• The week of February 15: Ohioans with severe congenital, developmental, or early-onset, and inherited conditions.
• Click here for a detailed plan of the Phase 1B timing.

Phase 1B Scheduling can occur for those individuals 65 years of age and older and individuals with a severe congenital, developmental, or early onset disorder.

• Qualifying conditions: cerebral palsy; spina bifida; severe congenital heart disease requiring hospitalization within the past year; severe type 1 diabetes requiring hospitalization within the past year; inherited metabolic disorders including phenylketonuria; severe neurological disorders including epilepsy, hydrocephaly, and microcephaly; severe genetic disorders including Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Turner syndrome, and muscular dystrophy; severe lung disease, including asthma requiring hospitalization within the past year, and cystic fibrosis; sickle cell anemia; and alpha and beta thalassemia
• Confirmation of eligibility: Each individual provider may develop their own screening and monitoring procedures to evaluate eligibility.

Phase 1C of Ohio’s vaccination plan, will focus on:

• Individuals who have additional medical conditions that may increase their risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19. The new qualifying conditions are not already covered through Ohio’s age-based approach to vaccine eligibility.
• Ohioans who work in certain occupations, including child care services, funeral services, and law enforcement and correction services.
• Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice. Individuals may be asked to confirm during the registration or screening process that they are eligible to receive the vaccine based on a qualifying medical condition or based on their occupation.

Medical conditions and women who are pregnant

• People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. 
• Bone marrow transplant recipients.
  • These are sometimes also called hematopoietic cell or stem cell transplants, and these patients are undergoing treatment primarily for cancer and certain anemias, and they face an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness.
  • This group does NOT include the kind of stem-cell injections people might receive for the treatment of orthopedic problems, especially for their knees. 
• People with type 1 diabetes.
• Pregnant women.

Occupations

• Child care services: Staff members at child care centers and pre-kindergarten programs who have regular, ongoing direct contact with children enrolled in these programs. 
  • Administrators, lead and assistant teachers, and substitute teachers enrolled in Ohio’s Professional Registry who are currently working in open child care or pre-kindergarten programs. 
  • Licensing specialists employed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services or a county job and family services agency. 
  • The program does NOT include parent volunteers, board members, or owners/administrators who do not provide in-classroom support.
• Funeral services: This group includes licensed staff and active apprentices in the funeral services industry. 
  • Embalmers/morticians.
  • Funeral home directors.
  • Crematory operators.
  • Apprentices.
• Law enforcement and corrections officers.
  • This group includes sworn law enforcement officers and peace officers who have first responder or direct supervisory responsibilities. These individuals must be active duty, working a regular minimum of 20 hours a week. Eligibility does not include retired, “special,” or reserve officers.  
    • Police officers.
    • Sheriff’s deputies.
    • Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers.
    • Special jurisdiction officers: Other state or federal enforcement officers such as Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) enforcement staff, pharmacy board investigators, BCI agents, state fire marshal investigators, federal transportation security officers, and other federal law enforcement officers who do not have access to vaccination from federal sources.
  • Corrections staff: Eligible are corrections staff, including probation and parole staff, who provide direct services to an adult or juvenile inmate or court-supervised individuals.
  • Firefighters: Individuals who have a valid active firefighting certificate in the State of Ohio who are active members or employees of a recognized fire department. This does not include retired, emeritus or reserve individuals.

Phase 1D will focus on:

•  Individuals who have specified medical conditions that may increase their risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19. The new qualifying conditions are not already covered through Ohio’s age-based approach to vaccine eligibility.
• Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice. Individuals may be asked to confirm during the registration or screening process that they are eligible to receive the vaccine based on a qualifying medical condition.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

• People with type 2 diabetes under the age of 50.
• People with end-stage renal disease (also known as end-stage kidney disease) under the age of 50.

Phase 1E will focus on:

• Individuals who have the specified medical conditions listed below that may increase their risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19.
• These individuals are not already eligible through Ohio’s age-based approach to vaccine eligibility.
• Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice. Individuals may be asked to confirm during the registration or screening process that they are eligible to receive the vaccine based on a qualifying medical condition.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

• Individuals with at least one of the following medical conditions:

  • Cancer.
  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  • Heart disease.
  • Obesity.

Phase 2 will begin with Ohioans ages 60 and older. This group includes approximately 695,000 eligible Ohioans.

Because the risk of more severe reactions and outcomes of COVID-19 increases with age, Phase 2 will open vaccinations based on age. Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice.

Age Eligibility

• Individuals age 60 and older.

Phase 2B

Vaccinations for Phase 2B will begin on Thursday, March 11, extending age eligibility criteria to age 50 and older. Because the risk of more severe reactions and outcomes of COVID-19 increases with age, Phase 2B will open with vaccinations based on age, extending eligibility criteria to age 50 and older. Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice.

AGE ELIGIBILITY

Individuals age 50 and older.

Individuals age 60 and older previously eligible under Phase 1B or Phase 2A who have not yet received the vaccine remain eligible under Phase 2B.

Phase 2C

Vaccinations for Phase 2C will begin on Friday, March 19. Because the risk of more severe illness and outcomes of COVID-19 increases with age, Phase 2C will extend age-based eligibility to individuals age 40 and older. This group includes approximately 818,000 Ohioans between ages 40-49. Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from the provider of their choice.

AGE ELIGIBILITY

Individuals age 40 and older.

Individuals age 50 and older previously eligible under Phase 1B, Phase 2A or Phase 2B who have not yet received the vaccine remain eligible under Phase 2C.

Phase 2D

As vaccine supply is becoming more widely available, COVID-19 vaccinations will be open to people 16 and older beginning Monday, March 29, 2021.

With parental or legal guardian consent, individuals ages 16 and 17 will be eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, which is the only COVID-19 vaccine currently authorized for use under age 18.

CLICK HERE TO SEE IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE