COLUMBUS, Ohio — During his Monday afternoon press briefing, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine addressed several of the major issues and next steps for Ohio in the fight against COVID-19. As the state passed the 1-million confirmed cases mark, DeWine spoke about the push to keep moving forward, as well the success of recent endeavors.
Here are some of the main highlights from the briefing:
VACCINE SUPPLY
Since Friday, Ohioans ages 40 and older have been eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, but how is the state doing with demand? Plus, how many more doses are expected for Ohio in the weeks to come?
Earlier this morning, DeWine told a group in Youngstown that he would be opening up extra unused doses to anyone age 16-and-older starting today, only if a provider's appointments are not getting booked up.
Otherwise, the state continues to plan a full opening up of the vaccine eligibility on Monday, March 29.
MASS VACCINATIONS
It has been nearly a week since the state's first mass COVID vaccination site opened at the Wolstein Center in downtown Cleveland. How is progress going?
During the Monday afternoon briefing, Gov. DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud said that the clinic has so far vaccinated more than 31,000 people in less than a week.
"It's a team effort, it's a local effort, it's a state effort, it's a federal effort," Gov. DeWine said of the mass vaccination clinic in downtown Cleveland. "And it's working very very well."
CLICK HERE to make an appointment at the Wolstein Center.
PASSING 1 MILLION CASES
Ohio officially passed 1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 when the state released new data on Monday afternoon. The grim milestone comes 378 days after the first coronavirus cases were reported in Ohio.
Gov. DeWine did not dwell on the monumental number but rather used his briefing to focus on the active steps that the state is taking to continue bringing numbers down, and keep bringing vaccinations up.
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN
During the briefing, Gov. DeWine also announced that he will meet with President Joe Biden when he visits Columbus on Tuesday.
"Fran and I have been invited to meet with the President when he flies into Columbus tomorrow. And we intend to be there representing Ohio and to welcome the President of the United States to our great state," said DeWine, a Republican who publically supporting then-President Donald Trump's candidacy against Biden in the 2020 election.
RELATED: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to meet with President Biden on Tuesday; will discuss COVID-19 vaccinations
"I'll have a private discussion with him. There's not anything huge. I'll, frankly, probably spend the time talking to him about what we're seeing in regard to the virus in Ohio and the things that are working. I'll tell him that at Cleveland State, the Wolstein Center, which is the one federal FEMA vaccination site in partnership with the state is working exceedingly well."
NURSING HOME VISITATION
Gov. DeWine Monday said that indoor visitation at nursing homes and healthcare facilities will be permitted so long as the facility meets the necessary criteria. Touching will be allowed for vaccinated residents with both the resident and visitor being required to wear masks. Visitation will also be permitted in private rooms, as opposed to the general visitation areas that were previously required.
The Governor also announced that vaccinated employees at care facilities will be required to be tested for the coronavirus once a week, while non-vaccinated employees will be tested twice a week.
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Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published on March 19, 2021.