SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — Summit County Health officials announced on Wednesday that is scheduled to receive 5,750 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which it says will allow the county to begin the first portion of Phase 1B of the state's vaccine rollout.
County and health officials released the details during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. The news comes after Ohio Governor Mike Dewine announced that local health departments would be releasing more information on the vaccine rollout in Phase 1B.
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The 5,750 doses will be distributed to nearly a dozen providers in more than 30 locations across Summit County. One of those providers will be Summit County Public Health which will receive 200 initial doses.
Beginning next week on Jan. 19, those who are 80 and older will be able to receive the vaccine.
"We really want to target that 80 and older group," said Donna Skoda, Summit County Public Health Commissioner. "Then next week, it'll drop down five years and it'll be 75 years and older. I fully expect that as vaccines start to flow, we'll get more every week."
On Thursday, the state of Ohio will release an interactive list of providers online at coronvirus.ohio.gov. Each provider will have different guidelines related on how to schedule appointments. A list pharmacies that will be receiving small quantities of the vaccine have been published on the Summit County Health Department’s website.
Skoda said people don’t have to be a Summit County resident to receive the vaccine in the area, but they will have to show proof of age.
People can sign up to receive updated information on the vaccine through the Summit County Health Department’s website – but in order to get the vaccine, individuals will have to call providers to schedule appointments.
"I want to be very direct," said Skoda. "We don’t’ have enough to vaccinate everyone at once. We need everyone to remain patient."
Summit County residents with questions are asked to contact the Summit County Public Health COVID Call Center at 330-926-5795.
For more information, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov.