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Tag: Ohio Department of Health

  • Health Director Urges Parents to Ensure Children Are Vaccinated Against Measles as ODH Confirms Outbreak in Ohio

    Health Director Urges Parents to Ensure Children Are Vaccinated Against Measles as ODH Confirms Outbreak in Ohio

    If people are not protected against the disease, nine out of 10 people who are exposed will become ill

    Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, announced today a measles outbreak in Ashtabula County and one confirmed case of a visitor in Knox County who exposed others to measles in Knox and nearby counties.

    Dr. Vanderhoff said ODH and Ashtabula County have identified 10 measles cases. Nine are linked to an adult male reported last week as the state’s first measles case of 2025. None of the individuals were vaccinated.

    “Given the measles activity in Texas, New Mexico, and other states around the country, we’re disappointed but not surprised we now have several cases here in Ohio and known exposure in some counties,” said Dr. Vanderhoff. “This disease can be very serious, even deadly, but it is almost entirely avoidable by being properly vaccinated. Measles is especially dangerous for young children, so I strongly urge all parents across Ohio to make sure your children are vaccinated. It is a crucial layer of protection that can save lives.”

    ODH is working with health departments in Ashtabula and Knox counties to follow up on potential exposures and to promote opportunities for vaccination. For more information, visit ashtabulacountyhealth.com and knoxhealth.com.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a measles outbreak as three or more related cases. Measles can spread quickly, and each case can lead to an additional 12 to 18 cases if people aren’t protected against the disease. The CDC reported 378 cases nationwide as of March 20.

    Ohio had 90 cases of measles in 2022, when an outbreak in central Ohio totaled 85 cases. The state had one measles case in 2023 and seven in 2024.

    Measles is extremely contagious and can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. It can be brought into Ohio by individuals who travel to places where measles is spreading. If people are not protected against the disease, nine out of 10 people who are exposed will become ill.

    The measles vaccine (called MMR as it protects against measles, mumps and rubella) is safe and effective at preventing measles. Two doses of MMR is 97% effective against measles. If you are up to date on measles vaccine, the risk of getting sick is extremely low.

    The CDC recommends all children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.

    In most instances, adults who were vaccinated against measles as children do not need any additional doses as adults. However, adults who did not receive the MMR vaccine as children or those who are unsure about their vaccination status are encouraged to talk to their healthcare provider for more information.

    Those born prior to 1957 are likely protected by previous infection.

    The measles virus can live for up to two hours in air where an infected person coughed or sneezed. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch an infected surface and then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected. People infected with measles can spread it to others from four days before, through four days after a rash appears.

    Measles symptoms include a rash, high fever, runny nose, cough, loss of appetite and red, watery eyes. The rash usually lasts five to six days and begins at the hairline, moves to the face and upper neck, and proceeds down the body. Diarrhea and ear infections are common complications of measles. More severe complications may also occur.

    Complications from measles are more common among children younger than 5 years of age, adults older than 20 years of age, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems. As many as one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.

    Dr. Vanderhoff held a news conference on March 18 to discuss Ohio’s childhood immunization rates and to urge parents to get their children up to date on all recommended vaccines, including the MMR vaccine. You can find the video of that news conference on the ODH YouTube channel.

    More information about measles is available on the CDC website, including general information and the recommended immunization schedule. ODH also has a measles FAQ page.

  • Ohio Reports First Human Case of Bird Flu

    Ohio Reports First Human Case of Bird Flu

    USDA Photo

    • This story was updated at 7:37 PM (2/12/25) after receiving more appropriate guidance for those who work with poultry.

    Loveland, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is reporting the state’s first probable human case of influenza A(H5), also known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or bird flu. An adult male Mercer County farm worker who was in contact with deceased commercial poultry was infected with the virus.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the current risk of bird flu for the general public to be low. However, people with close and prolonged, unprotected contact with infected birds are at greater risk.

    ODH Guidance for the General Public

    ODH reports that the risk of acquiring bird flu to the general U.S. population is low. “The best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid exposure whenever possible. As a general precaution, whenever possible, people should avoid direct contact with wild birds or sick or dead poultry or other animals.”

    They recommend that you contact your local health department or local veterinarian for further guidance before you approach sick or dead poultry or wild birds.

    ODH Guidance for Those Who Work With Birds

    Commercial poultry owners should practice good biosecurity and prevent contact between their poultry and wild birds, specifically migratory waterfowl.

    Avoid handling sick birds or other animals and immediately report unusual signs of disease or unexpected deaths to Ohio Poultry Association at (614) 882-6111 or the Ohio Department of Agriculture at (614) 728-6220 or after hours at (888) 456-3405.

    According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, best biosecurity practices for commercial poultry owners include:

    •   Prevent Contact with wild birds and waterfowl. Keep birds indoors when possible. Add wildlife management practices around your farm. hpaifactsheet_wildlife-biosecurity.pdf (usda.gov)

    •   Keep visitors to a minimum. Only allow those who care for your poultry to have contact with them and make sure they follow biosecurity principles.

    •   Wash your hands before and after contact with live poultry. Use soap and water. If using a hand sanitizer, first remove manure, feathers, and other materials from your hands.

    •   Provide disposable boot covers (preferred) and/or disinfectant footbaths for anyone having contact with your flock. If using a footbath, remove all droppings, mud or debris from boots and shoes using a long-handled brush BEFORE stepping in. Always keep it clean.

    •   Establish a rodent and pest control program. Deliver, store, and maintain feed, ingredients, bedding and litter to limit exposure to and contamination from wild animals.

    •   Use drinking water sourced from a contained supply (well or municipal system). Do not use surface water for drinking or cleaning.

    •   Clean and disinfect tools and equipment before moving them to a new poultry facility. Trucks, tractors, tools and equipment should be cleaned and disinfected prior to exiting the property. Do not move or reuse anything that cannot be cleaned.

    •   Look for signs of illness. Monitor egg production and death loss, discoloration and/or swelling of legs, wattles and combs, labored breathing, reduced feed/water consumption.

    More information about best biosecurity practices can be found on both the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) websites.

    ODH Provided Background on Bird Flu Cases in Humans

    Nationally, there have been 68 confirmed human cases of HPAI in 11 states since the beginning of 2024, which included one death in Louisiana. All but three of these cases involved exposures related to commercial agriculture and related operations or wild birds. In Ohio, one dairy herd and numerous poultry flocks have been infected since the outbreak began in 2022.

    There are no known cases of human-to-human transmission.

    “While the risk to Ohioans is low, the best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid unprotected exposures to sick or dead birds or to their environment,” said ODH Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA. “People should avoid direct contact with poultry or wild birds and take proper precautions, including reaching out for guidance regarding personal protection and safe handling, if you must be around sick or dead birds.”

    “Ohio is experiencing the largest outbreak of positive detections in commercial poultry to date, which requires critical action from our department and our federal partners, to contain and prevent the spread of disease,” said ODA Director Brian Baldridge. “As we continue to respond to these incidents, our staff on site continues to educate farmers and their workers on best biosecurity practices. We strongly encourage all Ohio farmers to use good biosecurity to help keep disease away from the farm.”

    Additional ODH Information

    It is safe to eat properly cooked poultry and pasteurized dairy products. Generally, people should follow food safety practices – poultry, eggs, and beef should be cooked to a safe internal temperature to kill bacteria and viruses. The CDC’s safer foods table contains a complete list of safe internal temperatures.

    If people have been exposed to a sick or dead bird, they should monitor themselves for any new respiratory symptoms and contact their healthcare provider or local health department should they develop symptoms. Ohioans can report sick or dead wild birds to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) at 1-800-WILDLIFE and sick or dead poultry to the ODA at 614-728-6220.

    Source: CDC
    Source: CDC

    More information on HPAI can be found on both the ODH and ODA websites.

  • COVID-19 Update – Watch ODH Press Conference

    COVID-19 Update – Watch ODH Press Conference

    Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff hosted a press conference on COVID-19 and the updated COVID vaccine.

    Featuring Joe Gastaldo, M.D., infectious disease specialist and Vice President of Clinical Affairs for OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital and OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, and Vanessa Maier, M.D., MPH, Medical Director, MetroHealth Medical Center’s School Health Program.

  • Ohio suicides went up in 2022, according to new report from Ohio Department of Health

    Ohio suicides went up in 2022, according to new report from Ohio Department of Health

    (Photo by Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline.)

    BY:  – Ohio Capital Journal

    This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know needs support now, call, text or chat the 988 Lifeline.

    The number of Ohioans who died by suicide increased by 2% in 2022, according to new data from the Ohio Department of Health.

    There were 1,797 suicide deaths in Ohio in 2022 — the 13th-leading cause of death in Ohio, according to ODH’s Suicide Demographics and Trends 2022 report. Suicide was the second-leading cause of death among Ohioans ages 10-14 and 20-34 that year.

    Demographics

    Males accounted for 80% of Ohio suicide deaths and Ohioans between the ages of 35-44 had the highest rate of suicide deaths.

    Firearms accounted for more than half of all suicide deaths — 64% of male suicide deaths and 36% of female suicide deaths.

    Breaking it down by sex, males 75 and older had the highest rate of suicide deaths and females ages 25-34 had the highest rate of suicide deaths.

    Black non-Hispanics saw the the largest increases in rates of suicide deaths (16%) from 2021 to 2022. White non-Hispanics had both the highest rate of suicide deaths (16.1%) and the total number of suicide deaths (1,525).

    Vinton County had the highest suicide death rate (38.8 per 100,000) and Mercer County had the lowest rate (9.4 per 100,000). Franklin County had the most suicide deaths with 168, Cuyahoga County had the second most with 163 and Hamilton County had the third most with 136.

    Thirteen of the 15 counties with the highest suicide death rates were rural.

    988 Suicide and Crisis Line

    The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline moved to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline two years ago and since then Ohio 19’s call centers have responded to nearly 340,000 calls, texts and chats — an average of more than 14,000 contacts each month.

    “988 is saving lives,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “The lifeline is providing free, around-the-clock support to Ohioans in crisis by connecting them with someone to talk to for help at the moment it’s needed most.”

    Ohioans facing a mental health or addiction crisis and their families members can call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org to get connected to a trained call specialist who can help.

    “988 is confidential and functions as a crucial gateway to crisis support within our communities,” Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Director LeeAnne Cornyn said in a statement. “Our hope is that reaching out to 988 in a behavioral health crisis becomes as natural to Ohioans as dialing 911 in other types of emergencies.”

    There have been an average of 9,804 calls from Ohio area codes; 2,686 texts received per month and an average of 1,652 chats per month.

    Cities across Ohio are trying to raise awareness of 988.

    The City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities put up more than a dozen signs about 988 throughout the city. Some of the police departments in Huron County have added 988 decals to their cars. Heidelberg University rented three billboards about 988 to inform students at the private college in Seneca County.

    “Any person or organization that puts effort toward building awareness about 988 is helping save lives,” Ohio’s 988 Administrator Doug Jackson said in a statement.

    Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Twitter.

    Megan Henry
    MEGAN HENRY

    Megan Henry is a reporter for the Ohio Capital Journal and has spent the past five years reporting in Ohio on various topics including education, healthcare, business and crime. She previously worked at The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA Today Network.

    Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

    MORE FROM AUTHOR

  • Get Free Naloxone and Test Strips

    Get Free Naloxone and Test Strips

    Loveland, Ohio – If you are in Ohio, you can get naloxone for you, someone you know, or your organization. Help save lives!

    I am a person who lives in Ohio looking to get free naloxone or fentanyl test strips for myself or someone I know.

    Find Mental Health & Addiction Treatment
    Discover a treatment facility near you.

    Call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

    Call, text, or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to reach a trained specialist who offers free, confidential, compassionate, accessible care and support. There is HOPE. The lifeline WORKS. You are NOT ALONE in crisis.
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    ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

    Haga clic aquí para obtener información sobre cómo acceder a todos los servicios en español.

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  • COVID-19 Information Moving to ODH, DataOhio Websites

    COVID-19 Information Moving to ODH, DataOhio Websites

    Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Bruce Vanderhoff, M.D., MBA, has announced that all COVID-19 information from coronavirus.ohio.gov is moving to the ODH website. All COVID-19 statistics and weekly reports are moving to the DataOhio COVID-19 reporting page. Visitors to coronavirus.ohio.org will be automatically redirected to the ODH website.

    After the federal government declared the COVID-19 public health emergency in January, 2020, ODH launched coronavirus.ohio.gov to serve as a clearinghouse for information.

    When the federal government declared an end to the public health emergency in May of this year, ODH began planning to transition from that website to a series of pages on the ODH and DataOhio websites.

    “The Ohio Department of Health remains committed to monitoring and sharing key data regarding COVID-19,” Dr. Vanderhoff said. “Indeed, COVID-19 remains a major driver of respiratory illness along with other viruses like influenza and RSV for which important information is also available on our website.”

    The new site contains links to the COVID-19 statistics and dashboards that will continue to be updated weekly, as well as the latest guidance on prevention, testing, treatment, and vaccines. That information will continue to be updated, as well.

  • In COVID’s third winter, biggest threat is three viruses at once

    In COVID’s third winter, biggest threat is three viruses at once

    BY: NICK EVANS – Ohio Capital Journal

    Ohio health officials are urging caution again this winter. But entering our third holiday season with COVID-19, the nature of those warnings is a bit different.

    Three at once

    As Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff explained, this year the threat is multiple respiratory viruses at once.

    “Unlike the last two winters, it’s not just about COVID,” he said. “But the combination of COVID, influenza, and RSV, especially for those whose health is more vulnerable or who have not been adequately vaccinated against flu and COVID-19.”

    RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, often feels like a common cold for adults and otherwise healthy children. But for infants, the elderly or immunocompromised people it can be dangerous. According to the CDC, RSV is the most common cause of bronchitis and pneumonia among kids 12 months old and younger.

    Unlike COVID-19 and flu, RSV has no vaccine.

    Precautions and metrics

    As ever, Vanderhoff’s chief precautionary recommendations are for people feeling ill to stay home and for everyone to wash their hands regularly. In situations where people must leave the house, officials recommend wearing an N95 mask.

    He also urged those who haven’t gotten vaccinated for the flu or COVID-19 to do so.

    “Vaccination is the safest and most dependable way to assure that you’re maximizing that cellular immunity I talked about,” Vanderhoff explained. “It gives your immune system its best opportunity to confront and beat the virus.”

    According to the CDC, the COVID-19 community level — a statistic based on number of hospital admissions and number of cases per 100k population — is low in many Ohio counties. Twelve rank as ‘high’ based on those metrics.

    Dr. Joe Gastaldo, OhioHealth medical director for infectious diseases, said people should be especially cautious in those counties.

    “In those scenarios, regardless of vaccination status, the recommendation is to wear a mask,” he said. “If you’re not feeling well wear a mask. I think specifically if you have an at-risk condition, or are immunocompromised, I would advise you as an infectious disease doctor to wear a mask indoors in public.”

    The CDC’s more familiar community transmission metric, based on cases per 100k population and percentage of positive tests, remains high throughout the state. All but nine of the Ohio’s 88 counties rank high for community transmission and none are low.

    As for RSV and the flu, Vanderhoff noted this year both started earlier and rose more rapidly than in past years. Both viruses have receded from their peak, he explained, but remain dangerous for some populations.

    Follow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter.

  • Ohio legislative committee passes rule defining fetal heartbeat

    Ohio legislative committee passes rule defining fetal heartbeat

    Ohio Department of Health Assistant Director Lance Himes answers questions from the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review. Photo courtesy of The Ohio Channel

    Rule passes despite court case holding back abortion ban and Dem objections

    BY: SUSAN TEBBEN – Ohio Capital Journal


    An Ohio legislative committee passed a rule on methods of identifying a fetal heartbeat that matched language in a previously passed abortion law, despite the fact that the law can’t currently be enforced.

    The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review passed an administration rule from the Ohio Department of Health entitled “appropriate methods for determining presence of fetal heartbeat,” despite Democratic efforts to invalidate the rule.

    Democrats on the committee objected to the rule, saying it violated not only existing state rules for medical care related to abortions, but also case law about how a rule is passed.

    In the rule, a fetal heartbeat is defined as “cardiac activity or the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the fetal heart with the gestational sac.”

    ODH Assistant Director Lance Himes said the definition of cardiac activity was taken “verbatim from Senate Bill 23.”

    A physician should determine the presence of a fetal heartbeat in a method “consistent with the person’s good faith understanding of standard medical practice,” according to the rule.

    This includes ultrasound equipment which allows the physician “to give the pregnant woman the option to view or hear the fetal heartbeat.”

    What isn’t defined in the rule is when a “medical emergency exception” applies, a concern doctors have expressed with regard to the abortion law, even testifying to that effect in court hearings on the law.

    “I would defer to the physicians who are interpreting this law and rule to determine, in their judgment, which is standard medical practices as defined in the statute and rule, for their determination as to whether it would be a medical emergency,” ODH Assistant Director Lance Himes told JCARR.

    In writing this rule, Himes said the ODH was “not tasked with further defining medical emergency.”

    The passage by JCARR this week represents the official passage of the rule, which was previously just an emergency rule put in place when Senate Bill 23 was implemented, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs, that overturned Roe v. Wade.

    State Rep. Kristin Boggs, D-Columbus, took issue with the rule being passed without public input and said the passage of the rule as an emergency, then “stacking” the non-emergency rule on top was “in violation of our JCARR standards and in violation of (Ohio Revised Code).”

    Himes acknowledged that no public hearing was held on the rule, but said Ohio Revised Code does not require one and “we did not have a stakeholder request out there for input.”

    “The regular rule filing does offer forums like JCARR for individuals to come and make public comment … but a public hearing was not required,” Himes said.

    Boggs also said the fact that SB 23 is currently unenforceable – a Hamilton County judge blocked the law indefinitely as the ACLU and Planned Parenthood clinics attempt to get the law thrown out – means there’s “no statutory authority to put forward this rule at this time.”

    “So right now, as I see it, there are two reasons that have merit that would suggest that even passing this rule today would invalidate it in the future,” Boggs said.

    State Sen. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, pushed back against the idea that the rule did not follow JCARR processes.

    “This actually is going through the JCARR process, because that’s what we’re doing right now,” Brenner said. “So I don’t know how that would be a violation of doing something right now that we’re doing.”

    State Rep. Michael Skindell, D-Lakewood, said the new rule conflicts with a Medicaid rule allowing for reimbursement of services if an abortion is the result of rape or incest and one from the Department of Veterans Services regarding abortion services when a pregnant person’s life is in danger or in the case of rape or incest. He argued the six-week ban would create a situation in which those services could not take place, therefore violating the Medicaid and Veterans Services rules.

    “This (ODH) rule violates it once there’s a detectable heartbeat,” Skindell said.

    Himes did not speak to the Medicaid rule, but said the ODH administrative rule “only sets forth the appropriate methods for determining a heartbeat. It does not speak to the legality of abortion related to rape or incest.”

    Skindell entered a motion to invalidate the rule, which was defeated on a 5-4 vote along party lines.

  • Symmes Township’s Photo Contest

    Symmes Township’s Photo Contest

    Symmes Township, Ohio – The contest will be held from October 1 through October 31. Prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners for adults 18 years and older. An Honorable Mention will be awarded to a youth under 18 years old. A panel of judges will review the entries and select the winners which will be announced in November. The decisions of the judges are final.

    Who may enter:
    Contestants must be amateur photographers and not associated with Symmes Township.

    What to enter:
    Participants should select images that best depict Symmes Township’s beautiful environment, active people, and vibrant community life. This includes but is not limited to parks, wildlife, streetscapes, landmarks, children or dogs at play or sports activities. Photos taken of locations not within Symmes Township will be disqualified as well as low-resolution images that cannot be well reproduced in printed materials. For best results, please be sure to set your camera or smartphone settings at the highest possible resolution. Any contestant who submits photos of people or property must have written consent from that person or property owner.

    How to enter:
    Contestants should submit high-resolution     digital photographs in a .jpeg or .gif format via email to lfelter@symmestownship.org. Each submission will require the following: Name, address, telephone number, valid email, location of photo, and age of participant if under 18 years old. Participants may submit up to three (3) photos each. Symmes Township reserves the right to publish any submitted photo with any Symmes Township materials (including print and electronic) or give to members of the media (including, but not limited to, newspapers, internet, television, and magazines) at any time. Photo credit will be applied where applicable but cannot be guaranteed.

    Prizes:
    • First place – $100 gift card of their choice
    • Second place – $50 gift card of their choice
    • Third place – $25 gift card of their choice
    • Honorable Mention (Youth) – $25 gift card of their choice

    By accepting a prize, winners agree to the use of the winning photograph for advertising or promotional purposes by Symmes Township.

  • State health officials preach prevention as Monkeypox, COVID-19 continue spread

    State health officials preach prevention as Monkeypox, COVID-19 continue spread

    Blood sample tube positive with Monkeypox virus. Getty Images.

    BY: NICK EVANS – Ohio Capital Journal

    Ohio Department of Health officials emphasized calm and caution during an update Thursday. Cases of Monkeypox are on the rise nationally, and COVID-19 continues to spread as children prepare to return to school. Both present challenges, health officials explained, but the state is well-positioned to respond.

    Monkeypox

    Monkeypox cases so far have come primarily from to the community of men who have sex with men. The latest data from the CDC show 99% of cases affect people assigned male at birth, and for those cases with information about sexual activity, 99% report male to male sexual contact.

    As of Aug. 10, there are more than 10,000 cases of Monkeypox nationally. But since reporting it’s first case in June, Ohio Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff explained the state has confirmed just 75 cases.

    “Most of Ohio’s cases are in our large metro areas, with only a few cases reported in other jurisdictions,” Vanderhoff said.

    Unlike COVID-19, he said, Monkeypox spreads “mostly through close intimate contact with someone who has Monkeypox, most often through direct contact with the infectious rash, source scabs or body fluids from a person with Monkeypox or from respiratory secretions during prolonged face to face contact.”

    Because of those limits on transmission, Vanderhoff said the risk of contracting the disease remains low for most Ohioans. The biggest challenge Ohio faces is short supply of the Jynneos vaccine.

    “Because Ohio has had comparatively fewer cases than other states, our allocations have likewise been less than some harder hit states,” Vanderhoff said. “Rest assured that Ohio continues to actively advocate for more vaccines, and as more vaccine has become available has properly placed orders for the maximum allocated dose.”

    Between a shipment of more than 5,000 doses that arrived this week and more on the way, health officials expect to eclipse 13,500 doses soon. And that supply will stretch even further since the FDA approved a shallower, intradermal injection that uses about 1/5 as much of the drug.

    OhioHealth infectious disease medical director Dr. Joseph Gastaldo still urged caution.

    “I think it’s important for people to realize that if you get the vaccine it’s not a Monkeypox free pass,” he warned, “meaning that you still have to wait to be fully vaccinated, and that is two weeks after the second dose to have the maximum protection for Monkeypox.”

    COVID-19

    The CDC also announced new guidance for COVID-19 Thursday. Among the changes, people exposed to the virus can skip quarantine but need to wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and test on the fifth day. The CDC still advises people who have contracted the virus to isolate from others regardless of their vaccination status.

    Dr. Vanderhoff noted any health update where COVID-19 isn’t the first topic on the agenda is a good sign, but he stressed the virus is still circulating widely in the state. He insisted that getting fully vaccinated and boosted remains the best protection against severe disease.

    Despite new variant-specific boosters planned for this fall, Vanderhoff urged anyone who is currently eligible for a booster to get it rather than wait.

    “Waiting for that new booster may not however, be the best way to protect yourself now,” he said. “For older unvaccinated are not up to date on vaccinations and you’re at continued risk for more serious illness. I encourage anyone who’s not up to date with their vaccination, including those currently eligible for a first or second booster to seize this opportunity, to prepare for the fall.”

    He also said the percentage of kids entering kindergarten fully immunized has slipped the last few years. Vanderhoff diplomatically chalked this up to COVID-19 limiting opportunities for doctors’ visits or remote learning reducing parents’ sense of urgency. Later he acknowledged vaccine-skepticism is likely playing some role as well.

    Dr. Michael Forbes from Akron Children’s Hospital said they overcome that hesitancy by drawing connections to other everyday precautions.

    “The message to families that we really try to communicate is we try to prevent what’s preventable,” Forbes said. “That’s what we do when it comes to helmets, seatbelts. Bad things can happen and do happen. But as parents we have a duty to protect our children. And so having an effective, safe vaccine that prevents these common illnesses I think is really important.”

    Follow OCJ Reporter Nick Evans on Twitter.