More than 50,000 people received 2nd COVID booster vaccine in Ohio last week

More than 7.46 million people in the state — or 63.87% of Ohio’s population — have started the vaccine, according to the state health department. Nearly 6.92 million people have finished the vaccine series, or 59.2% of the state’s population.

Anyone interested in getting vaccinated against COVID or receiving a booster can visit https://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov/ to find a vaccine provider.

As of Thursday, the state had 1,028 patients hospitalized with COVID, including 71 in west central Ohio and 168 in southwest Ohio, according to the Ohio Hospital Association.

Hospitals in southwest Ohio — which includes Butler, Warren, Hamilton, Adams, Brown, Clermont and Clinton counties — recorded a 3% decrease in inpatients with the virus compared to last week and a 19% decrease from 60 days ago. For west central Ohio — which consists of Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby counties — there wasn’t a change in the number of hospitalized COVID patients from last week. However, the region has seen a 57% decrease over the last 60 days, according to OHA.

Statewide there were 128 ICU patients with the virus, including 17 in southwest Ohio and seven in west central Ohio.

It was the same number of ICU patients who tested positive for the virus last week in southwest Ohio, but a 45% decrease compared to 60 days ago.

West central Ohio reported a 133% increase in patients with coronavirus over the last week, but a 70% decrease over the last 60 days, according to OHA.

The state added 523 hospitalizations and 41 ICU admissions in the last week, according to the state health department. It’s a slight decrease from the previous week when Ohio reported 626 hospitalizations and 48 ICU admissions.

For the first time in 11 weeks, Ohio recorded fewer than 20,000 coronavirus cases in a week. The state added 14,536 cases Thursday. It’s the fewest cases reported in a week since May 5 when Ohio recorded 11,013 weekly cases.

In the past week, Ohio reported 92 COVID deaths, bringing its total to 39,767 since the pandemic began, according to ODH.